David is known as being a “man after God’s own heart”. God Himself told Samuel that this was the
king He was preparing for Israel (1 Samuel 13:14).
What is it that describes a man after God’s own heart? David’s life is full of examples of how much
he was after God’s heart. But I want to
share with you one aspect of that heart of David seen in decisions he had to
make.
The moment he had to run away from King Saul, who wanted to
kill him, notice David’s heart:
1 Samuel 23:1-2 When
David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are
looting the threshing floors," (2) he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall
I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go,
attack the Philistines and save Keilah."
Before David fought the Philistines, he inquired of the Lord
first.
In the same story, when his men doubted, David inquired of
the Lord again.
1 Samuel 23:3-4 But
David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more,
then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!" (4)
Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him,
"Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your
hand."
When the Amalekites raided the city where David and his men
lived, and took captive their wives, sons and daughters, you see the same thing
with David:
1 Samuel 30:8 and
David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I
overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will
certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."
He didn’t just attack those who raided their city and took
their families. He inquired of the Lord
first.
When king Saul died, David didn’t just go back to Judah and
make himself king.
2 Samuel 2:1 In the
course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the
towns of Judah?" he asked. The LORD said, "Go up." David asked,
"Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered.
He inquired of the Lord first.
When he was made king of Israel, that did not change the
heart of David:
2 Samuel 5:17-19 When
the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went
up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to
the stronghold. (18) Now the Philistines had come and spread out
in the Valley of Rephaim; (19) so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I
go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD
answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to
you."
Whatever circumstance he was in, whatever decision he had to
make, David was a man who always inquired of the Lord first, for every decision
he had to make.
Sinful man does not automatically seek God’s heart. We think of ourselves, prioritize ourselves. We are not naturally men who are after the
heart of God. God usually comes in last minute.
But someone whose heart has been regenerated, born again,
has been given a heart that seeks God. Being
a man after God’s own heart is not something we make of ourselves, but something
that God has made us to be for His glory.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for
all, and therefore all died. (15) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him
who died for them and was raised again.
A Christian is someone who does not live for himself
anymore, but for Him who died and was raised again.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, the very first part
of prayer was centered on God and His will:
Matthew 6:9-10 This,
then, is how you should pray: 'Our
Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
(10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
When we come to God in prayer we approach him as men/women
after His own heart, not after our own desires or will.
What does it mean to be a man after God’s own heart? It means that you are not concerned with your
own heart, your emotions, your understanding – you are after God’s heart, His will, His decision.
And a man after God’s own heart is someone who is always
praying, always inquiring of the Lord concerning His will. In any and every situation, for whatever
concern that is in our hearts – it is God’s heart that we desire.
Jesus Christ Himself, when He was man, became an example for
us concerning this kind of heart.
John 4:34 My food,
said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
John 5:30 By myself I
can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not
to please myself but him who sent me.
Is our “food” to do the will of Him who sent us? Is God’s will, God’s heart, something that we
are craving for at all times, something we believe to be essential, important
for us?
Do we really believe that by ourselves we can do nothing? Do we come to the Lord in prayer for even the
simplest of requests?
If our answer is "yes", then, like David, and like our Lord Jesus, we will always
be inquiring of the Lord…at all times, for all things.
May this be what is written again and again in the story of our lives.
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