Unmixed

God set Israel apart as a holy nation, one to be after His own heart, that God might show His ways and true heart to the world. But Israel submitted to idolatry, and worshiped false gods presented to them by surrounding nations. They began to intermarry, rejecting God’s command and good desires for them. 

Now, this blog, and even these stories in the Old Testament aren’t about intermarrying across cultures, it is simply about remaining pure in heart towards God. In the day we live and breath, many of us who profess to be Christians remain mixed in ways God doesn’t want for us. However, we are called to be pure, unalloyed, unmixed—holy and set apart just as He is holy. We are called to be a set apart people that display His nature to all the world, so that they not only see, but KNOW that He is good. The trouble is, most people don’t even know that He’s REAL, let alone that He is good. Church I ask us, how far have we stepped back from our true call as Christians? 

I would like to submit the possibility that some of us are stuck because we refuse to walk in the purity He’s called us to. What really breaks my heart is that so many of us had those experiences in church where we’ve raised our hands and asked Jesus to come into our hearts, but we’ve neglected to realize that when we ask Him to dwell within us, that we’re giving Him our WHOLE LIFE. Period. 

He’s the Helper who helps us stay along the Narrow Way, not the helper who helps us make more money or feel better about ourselves. This life is costly, but it’s the greatest joy to walk in it, and it comes with divine power and freedom. Nothing can beat the rich blessings of walking in fullness with Christ. 

Scripture tells us in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” Simple and profound. The pure in heart will see Him. 

This word is meant to exhort and lift up the weary hearted, but it’s also a sobering word. This is a call to come higher, and to lay down all the idols in our life that have been keeping us bound. To list a few common ones we see: TV, our phone, social media, wisdom of man, fear of man (what will they think of me), and last but certainly not least, the love of self and selfishness. 

This is also not an invitation to dwell on ourselves or to introspectively seek out the things that are wrong with us. Absolutely no good will come of that, and most often it only ends up being a reflection of self love and/or pride. Instead, this is a call to be obedient to the things He’s asking you to lay down at His feet and submit to Him. This is a call to put our phone down in the mornings, and before anything else, spend time with Him. He’s not only calling us higher, He’s LEADING us higher. All we need to do, is say YES. 

Anya McMahon