Keeping the Bloom: The Link Between Purity and Vision

“Even the slightest dew on the petals can reflect the morning sun—so too does purity reflect the vision of God.”

Devotional Source: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash

Oswald Chambers wants us to understand that purity isn't merely the innocence of one untouched by sin—it’s the radiant byproduct of an ongoing, intimate walk with Jesus. True purity grows from closeness with God and is sustained over time through that fellowship. He differentiates between our private life with God, which may be vibrant and authentic, and our outward expression of that life, which is exposed to the world and subject to distraction, compromise, or carelessness.

Chambers points out that when the outer bloom—our outward expression of a Spirit-filled life—begins to fade or become tarnished, even slightly, we lose clarity in our spiritual vision. It's not about guilt or shame, but about realigning. He emphasizes that purity has a practical, embodied side: our thoughts, choices, and behaviors in the world matter because they affect our fellowship with Christ.

He encourages a deliberate choice to preserve purity not by striving for perfection in our own strength, but by walking in daily moment-by-moment agreement with our inner sanctuary—Christ Himself. One practical tool he offers is to view others through their true identity in Christ: “perfect in Christ Jesus.” This perspective shields our hearts from judgment, comparison, lust, and frustration, and keeps our vision clear.

Ultimately, Chambers ties the clarity of our spiritual sight—our ability to see God—to the purity of our hearts. Not positional purity alone, but that experiential purity that flows out of a life truly yielded to Jesus.

Personalized Journal Entry Written in the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

I dwell in you, and I am Light in whom there is no darkness at all. Because you have been made clean through the word I have spoken, your heart is no longer a place of striving, but of seeing. You are already pure in Me. Yet in the daily outworking of your life, you may notice when your outer walk is no longer in step with your inner rest. That’s not condemnation—it’s My loving reminder drawing you back into alignment.

I have given you a new heart and a new spirit, and I walk with you to will and to do according to My good pleasure. Let your outward life reflect the inner sanctuary where I dwell. When something tarnishes the bloom of your walk—be it a thought entertained, a conversation that lacks grace, or a moment of compromise—don’t try to fix it yourself. Simply stop, acknowledge Me, and rest again in My sufficiency.

Fix your eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. Let your vision of the Father remain clear by letting Me guard your heart. Your part is to yield, moment by moment, letting Me live through you. I guide you in paths of righteousness for My name’s sake—not to prove yourself, but to reveal Me.

As you encounter others, don’t measure them by their behavior or words. Instead, speak silently to your soul: Perfect in Christ Jesus. This shields your vision. This keeps your bloom from fading. You walk by faith, not by appearances, and you see through the lens of My grace.

Blessed are you who walk with an unveiled heart, for you will see God—not just in eternity, but in your today. For I am the Lord who purifies, who keeps, who sees—and I live in you.

(References: 1 John 1:5; John 15:3; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Philippians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Psalm 23:3; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Matthew 5:8)

Prayer

Father, I rejoice that You have already made me pure in Christ, and that I now see You—not dimly or from afar, but clearly through the eyes of my spirit. You’ve given me everything I need to walk in purity today. I don’t have to strive to get clean—I just rest in the purity You’ve already placed within me. Keep reminding me to pause and realign whenever I notice the outward bloom beginning to fade. And thank You for the gift of seeing others through Your eyes—perfect in Christ Jesus. That vision is liberating, and it is mine to enjoy by grace.