After God’s Own Heart…

Acts 13:22b says, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.”

I have always heard it preached that David’s was a man after God’s own heart because he had a spirit of repentance.  No matter what he was faced with and what mistakes he made, he had a repentant heart.  But, I Pastor McManus brought out so much more last night during the Wednesday Night  preaching.  Yes, David had and heart of penitence…he was sorrowful for his sins and faults.  He was ready to acknowledge when he made a mistake and didn’t pass the blame onto anyone else.  He admitted his foolishness in some situations and his wickedness in others.  He understood that God had mercy and he knew how to respond to it.

David was also a man of worship.  He didn’t just praise God for what he had done in his life…He worshipped God for who He was.  In 2 Samuel 12:20 when David heard that his child was dead (in a result of his sin), instead of blaming God or turning from God, he did the unexpected.  It says that “David arose from the earth, and washed , and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped…”  And, in another instance, when David wanted to build a temple for God, God told him no that his son would be the one to build it.  David could have thrown a pity party.  But, instead, he worshipped God.  It makes you think…How do we handle it when we sin and God corrects us…or how do we handle disappointments that come our way?

David was also a servant. Acts 13:36 says that David served his generation.  He rendered himself useful to others.  To be a servant, you must be favorable, helpful, worthy of trust and reliance and to give respect to those that rule over you. 

David realized that the goal was to fulfill the will of God and not his own.  Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Even though sometimes we think that we know what we are doing and what we want in this life, we must remember that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our.  What He wants for us in life is going to be so much better than what we want…and better for us in the long run.  And, it is the will of God for us to go and tell the world about His love, mercy and to reach out to those that are lost and hurting.  Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (which is in the name of Jesus…Acts 4:12) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo , I am with you always , even unto the end of the world.”   As Mark 16:15-18 says, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned .And these signs shall follow them that believe ; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” And last but not least, Matthew 5:14-16 says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid .Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  We have a big responsibility to fulfill the will of God in our lives.  Like it says in Hebrews 12:2…we need to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.  Examine how He lived His life.  Knowing what lay ahead of Him, the cross, the suffering and the shame…He still moved forward, enduring.  Because in the end, it would be worth it all.  And, as the old song says, “It will be worth it ALL when we see Jesus.  Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.  Once glimpse of His dear face and all sorrow will erase.  So let us run this race, ‘til we see Christ!” ♥