When we think of David, our first thought is his victory over Goliath. Other incidents would be his failure with Bathsheba, his anointing and call as a young man, his problems with Saul and Absalom and his friendship with Jonathan. That is the human way! We usually remember the spectacular, the traumatic and the glorious. However,when God remembers David. He remembers something quite different about him. To find out what God remembers about this man, you have to turn to the New Testament. Some 1,000 years after his death, Paul speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reveals what God remembers about David in Acts. 13:22, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do”. What a testimony of a life well lived and found pleasing to the Lord! It should be the goat of every believer to be found pleasing in the sight of the Lord!. It should be our goal to be a person. ‘After God’s own heart”. I want to share with you some of David’s qualities which made him a man after God’s own heart’.
SEEK THE PRESENCE OF GOD
David desired the presence of God from his childhood. He says in Psalm 42:1. As the deer parts for streams of water, so m y soul pants for you. ‘He found joy only in his presence (Ps. 16:11). Even when he sinned, he immediately repented and prayed, cast me not away from your presence, O Lord (Ps.51:11). More than anything in his life, David wanted to live in the presence of the Lord all the days of his life (Ps. 27:10; 84:2, 10). Once he said, I have always set the Lord before me (Ps.16:8). The things of God and his presence were terribly neglected during the time of Saul. The Act of God which symbolized his presence was in the hands of the enemy. But when David came to the throne, he took definite steps to recover the Ark and the presence of the Lord (II Sam 6:1-18).
This should be the bring desire of everyone who wants to be after God’s own heart! There will be a hunger for his manifest presence in our life. When it is missing, every possible step will be taken to recover. His precious presence! It might require repentance, obedience, confession, forgiveness, etc., Moses prayed, if your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here’ (Exo. 33:15). Let us make it our prayer and practice the presence of God.
STUDY THE PRECEPTS OF GOD
David found delight in the precepts of God. For him, the word of God was tastier that honey and more desirable than gold (Ps. 19:7 – 11). He took delight in God’s word (Ps. 119:92) and meditated upon it constantly (Ps. 1:2; 119:97). In Psalm 138:2, David says that God has magnified His word above all things. David’s heart was fully devoted to walk in the ways of God (1 Kings 15:3). The bible also says that David has not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life (1Kings 15:5). Though he failed once, he quickly came back to His word. Because he obeyed the words of the Lord, his life was set as a standard for the future King of Israel and Judah (1 Kings 15:11, 18:3, 22:2, 14:8, 15:3; II Kings 14:3, 16:3, II Chro. 28:1, 29:2;34:2).
The bible is the book of life. It gives usthe life giving spiritual food (Matt. 4:4). The bible is the book of light. (Ps. 119:130). Life is full ofperplexities. There are so many thingsabout which we want light. The Biblegives us the light we need. The biblehelps us to stay pure in this dirty word (Ps. 119:9). D.L. Moody wrote on thefly-leaf of his Bible these words. ‘Thisbook will keep me from sin, and sin will keep me from this book. “That is a true statement. The habit of reading God’s word daily will domore for the stability, purity, peace, joy and fruitfulness of the life of aChristian that any other one thing. TheBible becomes ours, not by merely owing a copy, but by strong it in our mindand heart (Ps. 119:11, 37:31). Let the world of Christ dwell in you richly (Col. 3 : 16; John 15:7). When this heavenly treasure, the Bible, is really ours, we will value the Words of God as did David, when he said, “they are more precious that gold (Ps. 19:10). Gold cannot buy happiness, but God gives us abiding happiness through his word.
SING PRAISES TO GOD
David was called the sweet, singer of Israel (II Sam 23:1). He always sang praises to God. (II Sam 22:50; Ps. 18:49; 47:6; 147:1). He said, ‘I will praise the Lord at all times, his praise will always be on my lips (Ps. 34:1). He said, I will praise the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. (Ps. 34:1). God brought him to palace from pastures. He dedicated his entire life to the praise of God. (Ps. 104:33). He has written most of the psalms in the bible. 73 psalms are directly attributed to David. Almost all of the psalms are either hymn of praise or prayer odes. The psalms of David were written during his difficult and tough times. In all the circumstances of his life. He praised the Lord. Even after he became the king, he was dancing and praising the Lord Publicity without shame! (II Sam. 6:14,15). He was never ashamed to praise God for what he had done for him. The heart after his heart will gladly and continually lift up his name!
David has a wonderful musical talent and regularly come before the Lord in songs of love and thanks giving. He says that he will praise the Lord seven times a day (Ps. 119:164). David discovered the heart of God in the context of worship. He also appointed certain of worship. He also appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord continually with psalteries, harps, cymbals and with trumpets (1 Chronicles 16:4-6; 23:2-5). We must know that God indwells the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). He has created us that we may declare His praises (Is.43:21). The psalms teach us how to praise God in every situation of our lives. If we have to become men and women after God’s own heart, we must dedicate ourselves to praise the Lord.
SERVE THE PURPOSES OF GOD
The Bible says that David served God’s purpose in his generation (Acts. 13:36). One of the important reasons why God called David a man after His own heart is that he was always willing to do His will and fulfil his desires(Acts.13:22) David devoted his life to fulfilling God’s purposes on earth. Doing God’s will was the goat of his life. That is why he prayed that God would teach him to do his will (Ps.143:10) Rick Warren, in his book Purpose-driven Life says that this phrase in Acts 13:36 is the ultimate definition of a life well lived.
God has a definite plan and purpose for each one of our lives. We must make every effort to know God’s purposes (Eph. 5:17) in our lives and strive to fulfil it. Finding and fulfilling the will of God must be the greatest goat of our lives (Jn.5:30; Matt. 7-21; 12”50). Neither past not future generation can serve God’s purpose in THIS generation. Only we can. Like Esther, God has created us for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The bible says, ‘For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him”. (2 Chronicles 16:9). When we are fully committed to his purpose, he will manifest his power in and through our lives so that many will come to the saving knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ in this generation.
Let us become men and women after God’s own heat by seeking his presence, studying his precepts, shouting his praises and serving his purposes in our lives. May God bless you!
