Here’s something I wrote almost eight years ago that I thought I’d share.
“And when he [God] had removed him [King Saul], he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” (Acts 13:22)
This is a profound statement. To think that God would actually say this about a human being is amazing. David’s heart, his passion, his desires were “after” (or according to) the heart of God. What is the “heart?” Here’s a few interesting definitions of the Greek word that is used in Acts 13:22.
“The soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours.”“The will and character.”“The soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions.”“The middle or central or inmost part of anything.”
This glimpse into the heart of God gives us a picture of what our lives should follow. Do we have a “heart” for the things God has a “heart” for? Are His desires, passions, and affections the same as our desires, passions, and affections? Are we so concerned about what we want to do that we don’t care what God thinks about what we are doing? Do we seek the heart of God to determine what our interests should be? These are challenging questions, but they are really some of the most important questions you could ever ask yourself. There are two options: God’s “heart,” or our “heart;” God’s way of life or our way of life. Which will you choose?
David often talked of how much he loved God and His word:
“I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.” Psalm 18:1“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97
These words express the deep longings of David’s heart and show that his desires were truly “after God’s own heart.” This passion was what drove David to seek the Lord and focus on Him. As a result, God blessed Him with a prosperous reign. My challenge to you is this: seek the Lord and ask Him for a heart that only desires only what God desires, and for a passion for the things that he has a passion for. Can you honestly say the following?
“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalms 17:15)
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