“Purity of heart is to will one thing.” -Søren Kierkegaard
Throughout life, distractions seem to loom like an unwelcome, inescapable fragrance. Every soul is constantly craving and pursuing something. Great amounts of time and energy are spent on that which cannot outlive the thinker or the doer. We wonder a lot about tomorrow. We wonder a lot about yesterday. True wonder ends up quenched by synthetic wonder, (like a stomach too full of Twinkies to enjoy a tasty home grown meal). We gnaw on whatever is in sight, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The thoughts living in our minds find their source in emotion or opinion instead of truth. We run nonstop in search of approval, satisfaction, position, success and significance. Our days are spent chasing blindly after wind.
When will we learn to breathe again? When will be slow down again? When will we look for our Father’s eyes again? When will look up and sense the magnificence of it all again; the miracle of life and the gift of love. The broken made beautiful life here, and the perfect, permanent life to come?
The Treasure held within us is a mystery, yet a Person who makes Himself knowable. He gives us the chance to pursue and behold Him. He designed existence to be one great, glorious chase.
Who doesn’t want to be sought out and fought for? Who doesn’t want to be fully known and fully accepted? Does it not make sense that Christ wants us to seek Him? For in the seeking of Him we learn who we truly are. Remaining stagnant in our chase after God confuses the lens out of which we see those around us and the person in the mirror. And all the while we seemingly forget who we are because we cannot recall who He is.
Our chase after the hearts of others becomes a fearful thing rather than a freeing thing. Our chase after God seems to lack passion and depth. There are times in my life where I have become afraid of vulnerability, risk, and pain. In regards to this, C.S. Lewis once said, “To love is to be vulnerable.” It is certainly vulnerable to love God and others. It’s frightening to trust He who is unseen and others who are seen. It’s dangerous to chase after the heart of Yahweh, to have bursting affection and unquenchable desire for Him, and yet it’s far more dangerous to remain lackadaisical and withdrawn, filled to the brim with lesser things and falling prey to the numbing, destructive pleasantries of the adversary.
So I ask you, dear reader, what is it you are chasing?
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8