The Word of the Lord

December 16th

The Pure in Heart

“And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
Luke 1:28

Daily Devotional

December 16th

Elizabeth I, queen of England from 1558 to 1603, set out to implement a full Protestant Reformation in Roman Catholic England. That movement became known as Puritanism because of its emphasis on personal regeneration and purity, household prayer, and strict morality. Those who embraced this movement were called Puritans because they wanted to purify the church of all ceremonies, vestments, and customs inherited from the medieval church.

In today’s world of loose morality and liberal theology, the term puritanical is used negatively to refer to those who are out of step with modern thinking and progressive ways. And it is usually an accurate description, since those who desire to live as the pure in heart do find themselves in the minority.

A teenage girl in the town of Nazareth, more than two millennia ago, could be called a Puritan for all the right reasons. She had a heart that was set upon knowing and serving God, and she lived in such a way that she found favor in God’s sight. Mary, the mother of Jesus, wasn’t perfect or sinless, but it was her desire to serve God that attracted His attention.

Puritanical in the world’s eyes may equal pure in heart in God’s eyes.

David Jeremiah

Morning and Evening Devotions, Publisher: Thomas Nelson

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Lakeland First Baptist  seeks to glorify God by encouraging all people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, discipling them in spiritual growth, and equipping them to make disciples of the nations.

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