Seeing God

It all started at the Oregon Caves National Monument in 1938. Harold Graves ran a photo services shop in Portland and was an avid photographer. On his trip to the park he ran into a fellow camera buff, William Gruber, who had two cameras strapped together. Gruber was attempting to duplicate the stereoscope photos that were common in the nineteenth century.

William Gruber wanted to produce three-dimensional color slides that could be looked at in a new hand-held viewer. Graves offered his services and, by the next day, the two friends had struck a deal to produce View-Master. Their product, which was introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, featured views of scenic attractions from around the country. View-Master eventually focused their product on children, and it was later voted by Time as one of the best toys of the century.

Though stereo-photography has been around since 1838, and the first 3D film came out in 1915, there is something that far exceeds even the best virtual reality experiences available today. It is the accurate view of the true Master of the universe. But seeing God takes more than a headset. It must involve the heart.

Today’s text explains that people who will see God are “pure in heart.” This means we must be open to the Holy Spirit and willing to obey God. The Bible explains, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17). If you would know God, you must be willing to obey God.

Most people in Jesus’ time on earth failed to see that He was the Son of God. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive him” (John 1:11). They refused to submit themselves to the Holy Spirit, who spoke through the Scriptures. They didn’t need better technology to study the divine; they needed an open heart to view eternal realities—not virtual realities.

Apply It:

Earnestly pray for God to purify your heart that you might see Him more clearly.

Dig Deeper:

Matthew 11:27; 1 Corinthians 1:20, 21; Hebrews 12:14

Key Bible Texts

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 KJV)