After God's Heart

"But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'"

Acts 13:22 (NLT)

Hearts and Minds

The Hebrew translation of heart is 'mind', which would encompass what we think. This being the case; can we trust our thoughts, our emotions that flow from our hearts? I suppose if our hearts (Hebrew-'minds') have been filled with thoughts that are all to do with self, for example from the moment I wake up what is in my heart/mind is all about me, until the moment I go to sleep; the overflow of my heart will be everything to do with me, myself and I. My actions will only highlight what is in my heart. I think this is something as Christians we're constantly working on.

Samuel stated that God had sought a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), when speaking to Saul about his disobedience and demise and the appointment of David. I've always wondered why David was called 'a man after God's own heart'? Psalm 51:10-14 shows that David knew the state of his heart and was aware only God could create a clean heart in him. David knew that only in the presence of God and through the presence of God in Him, was he able to have a right and loyal spirit. We see in Psalm 51:10-14 the mind of the man, and the motive of the man. David knew that his heart had to be cleansed, and only God could truly do that. David wanted his spirit to be right, and he knew that only God could do that too. David had sinned with Bathsheba and when Nathan delivered a corrective, prophetic message from God all that was secret was revealed (Luke 8:17); I don't know how I would have responded if that was me?

We could possibly say that David had come to the end of the line; committing adultery, trying to cover up Bathsheba's pregnancy, ordering the killing of Bathsheba's husband Uriah, and then taking Bathsheba as his wife when he had 7 wives already (2 Samuel 12:1-14). Despite David's sinful acts, he seemed to care for Godly things and did his best to live by God's law.

God called David "a man after my own heart"

(1 Samuel 13:14 & Acts 13:22)

After God's Heart

If the Hebrew for heart is translated 'mind', could it be that God sees 'a man after his own heart' as a person who's heart and mind, for the most part, thinks about God and godly things? As he wakes up he's thinking about God, not because of religion but because of love. The heart of the man is full of love for God, so throughout the day he may go about doing other things, but when he has a moment to sit and take a breath; he's thinking about and meditating on God's goodness, mercy and the love he has for God.

Every aspect of his life is an overflow of what is in his heart; the knowledge of and love for his Saviour.

I believe David was a man who deep down was 'after' God's heart; he pursued God, he encountered God and his desire was to please God. Ultimately, I believe that is the desire of all who truly have an encounter with the living God; we're after his heart. We long to know Him more; as we know Him more, we grow to love Him more and as we love Him more, we want to do what's right in His sight.

Sometimes we fall down; our hearts aren't right, they're unclean and very messy, but the beauty of it all is that God knows.

David knew that and went before the LORD with a repentant heart, asking for God's help in the midst of his mess. He knew that in God's presence he had experienced grace, mercy, love, compassion, cleansing of guilt, shame and sin before, so he ran back into the arms that knew him best.

So I pose the question when considering David, a man after God's own heart; what are we after?