The Light In The Window

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
Povey stained glass windows First Presbyterian Church Astoria, Or

I don’t know what it is about stained glass windows that stir joyful emotions within me. I find the colors and imagery inspiring. The spiritual messages of the church windows tell a story that cannot be paralleled for me. I visited Astoria Oregon, last month and had an opportunity to view the windows of the First Presbyterian Church while I was there. The windows were created by the Povey Brothers who crafted windows during the early 1900. These windows are celebrated today as great works of art throughout the Northwest. The rich colors glorify the life and words of Christ. In the center of one of the windows is written, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” These words were first spoken by Christ when he was teaching a crowd on a mountainside, as recorded in
Matthew 5:1-12.

Have you seen stained glass windows at night? Without the light the windows are dull, dark, drab, and the images are hard to make out. But add the sunlight and the windows spring to life shining with messages and inspiration for all to see and believe.

Without Christ in our lives, we are like the drab dark windows void of light. Jesus is the light that makes us come to life, to shine with his message of hope and love for all who accept his gift of salvation. We know this because John 8:12 tells us:


When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

And 1 John 1:7 states:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

This verse takes us back to the message in one of the Presbyterian Church windows, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Can we purify ourselves and make ourselves worthy enough to see God and to one day live with him? According 1 John 1:7, the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Nothing we can do makes us acceptable to God, other than accepting the gift of salvation Christ offers us. We have faith that Christ’s salvation purifies us and make us worthy to see God. We thank God for the salvation of his Son Jesus.