How to Be a Person After God’s Own Heart
Introduction
The human heart weighs less than a pound. It beats 100,000 times a day. Without your heart your body would quickly cease to work. Jesus spoke a great deal about the heart. The heart is a metaphor for the inner life. It is the seat of the physical, spiritual and mental life. The heart is the center and the source of the whole inner life – thinking, feeling, and willing. God is concerned, primarily, about your heart. He wants you to have a healthy heart.
He said to Samuel, ‘The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’ (1 Samuel 16:7). (Gumble)
I want to encourage us today to turn our hearts toward God. So many of our troubles in life have come because we have wandered from God. David was called “a man after God’s own heart” twice.
Upon the disobedience of King Saul, Samuel the prophet delivered the message from God: “…the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart; and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over his people, .… “ (1 Sam 13:14). 2 Samuel begins with reports of the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan. David mourned those losses. Then David is anointed as King.
Let’s think about King David and why he is called ‘a man after God’s own heart”. What qualities of David led to that designation? How can we be more like David when he was at his best - and avoid the dangers of being like him at his worst?
In the Psalms we find at least 7 Reasons David is “A Man After God’s Own Heart”
1. Humble Before God
Psalm 62:9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
Though David was a King, he realized that his life was short - he did not think he was so important as to escape death.
James 4:6, 10 “…God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
2. Reverent Toward God
Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
All throughout His life David gave glory to God and was attentive to what God desired of him.
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe;
3. Trusted God
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
When life is hard, we are called upon to trust him through the storms and trials of life. “Without Him I could do nothing”
4. Loved God
Psalm 18:1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The greatest commandment is to love God. He has shown such great love for us. How do we show our love for God? By listening to Him, living for Him, and loving His children.
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
5. Faithful to God
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
Our commitment to God is not a Sunday only thing, nor is it just for children - it is a life long following. It is a journey of a lifetime!
6. Penitent to God
Psalm 25:11For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Some of the best known stories of David’s life are about his failures. Yet he always came back to the Lord in prayer, asking for forgiveness, determined to change.
Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
7. Worshipped God
Godwin: David was hungry for God, he sought after God, he had a passion for spiritual things, and he tried to please God despite his failures. His actions proved he was a God chaser. He penned 73 Psalms of worship. He may have also written some of 49 anonymous Psalms; these lyrics express his deep desire for God and his heart-felt worship.
Centuries later we use these Psalms to inspire our worship of God in words penned by the Shepherd King.
Conclusion
Remember what God told Samuel: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
When the Lord saw David’s heart, he saw a man who was
Humble before him
Reverent
Trusting
Loving,
Faithful,
Penitent,
Worshipful
Don’t feel overwhelmed by that list of qualities! They were just outward manifestations of someone who sought God all their life - not perfectly - at times broken - at times prideful - at times self-seeking. Even so, David’s example is a great road map for how we are to live our life.
What we need to do today is to focus on turning our hearts toward God by thinking about these qualities and how we can grow in our commitment to the Lord through these avenues.
David responded to God and His word - and today we must do the same. What is your response to God’s love, grace, and mercy? His offer to save you for eternity? He is calling you today to be a man or woman of God’s own heart.
Video for this message can be found on our YouTube channel. You can search for Forsythe Church of Christ to get there.
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Resources
Aust, Jerold
https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/profiles-of-faith-david-a-man-after-gods-heart
Edmondson, Ron. 10 Reasons David is Called a Man After God’s Own Heart
https://ronedmondson.com/2014/04/10-reasons-david-is-called-a-man-after-gods-own-heart.html
Godwin, Ben
https://mountaineagle.com/stories/was-david-really-a-man-after-gods-own-heart,24231
Gumble, Nicky. Bible in One Year Commentary.
https://www.bibleinoneyear.org/bioy/commentary/810
