A MAN AFTER MY HEART

“‘Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance – all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will,”’” (Acts 13:16-22, NASB).

The Lord described David as “‘…a man after My heart, who will do all My will,’” (Acts 13:22, NASB). Wouldn’t we love to have Him say that about us? Obviously, David wasn’t perfect. In fact, he committed both adultery and murder, yet He loved the Lord and desired to obey Him. What set him apart was the priority he placed on his relationship with the heavenly Father.

David delighted in knowing the Lord and sought Him earnestly. He declared that God’s love was better than life and pledged to praise Him all his days. He meditated on His Word and character and often cried out to Him in prayers of desperation, dependence, and trust. Whatever his circumstances, he sought to view them from a God-centered perspective.

The only way to be a person after the Father’s heart is to receive a new heart. And that’s exactly what happens in salvation. If we’re a believer, we have everything we need for cultivating a heart that pursues the Lord. Meditating on God’s character and Word will fuel our delight in Him. And praying as David did will increase our trust so that we depend on God more fully.

 ~ Jeff