10/19 - Hearts of Mercy and Purity

This Sunday we continue our journey through The Beatitudes with Week 5, focusing on two of Jesus’ most beautiful promises:

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
— Matthew 5:7–8

Mercy is grace in motion. It’s compassion that steps in, forgiveness that restores, and love that acts. When Jesus blesses the merciful, He calls us to mirror God’s own heart — one that is gentle, forgiving, and endlessly welcoming.

Our opening hymn, “There Is a Wideness in God’s Mercy,” reminds us that God’s compassion has no limits. It’s broader than any failure, deeper than any hurt, and wider than any boundary we set.

Our centering hymn, “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian,” turns that mercy inward, becoming a personal prayer for transformation. As we sing it, we ask God to make our hearts more loving, more faithful, and more merciful — not only in worship but in how we treat one another every day.

Purity of heart isn’t about being flawless — it’s about being focused. To be “pure in heart” means to be undivided in our love for God. It’s about aligning our intentions, desires, and actions with the heart of Christ.

This purity is beautifully expressed in our choir anthem, “Healer of My Heart.” Through it, our choir offers a prayer that God would cleanse and renew us from within — that we might be people through whom others can see God’s presence and love.

Worship concludes with the familiar and exuberant “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.” After reflecting on mercy and purity, this hymn lifts us into praise. Having received God’s mercy and glimpsed His presence, we respond with joy — the natural expression of a heart made whole.

This Sunday’s worship follows a clear arc, a movement of grace:
Mercy received → Mercy lived → Hearts renewed → Joy expressed.

That’s not just the structure of a service; it’s the rhythm of discipleship.
When we receive mercy, we extend it. When our hearts are purified, we see God more clearly. And when we see God, joy overflows.

May our worship this week open our eyes to the wideness of God’s mercy and renew our hearts to see Him in all things.

With gratitude 

Music Tom 

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