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)
All these years I've heard and read this text about David. A man after God's own heart. And of course the next question that pops into your head (well, mine at least) is what did David do to make him a man after God's own heart. One thought is that he was always seeking God. But this weekend, I was reading this text again and for the first time I saw the line "He will do everything I want him to do."
WOW! Was that it? Was that why David was a man after God's own heart? Now we know that David didn't do everything God wanted him to do because of his involvement with Bathsheba, right? That was definitely not something God wanted David to do. He probably wanted David to be out on the battle field with his men or when David saw Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop God wanted him to go inside and follow God's commands.
David definitely did not always do what God wanted. Could it be that God is just looking for someone who is willing? Willing to put God first in their life? Willing to follow where ever God leads even if it's into the wilderness with no hint that you are even going to make it through? Willing to stick with it because God said not to give up? Willing to trust God even though what he said would happen took over 15 years? Willing to confess and repent when he did something really horrible and turn back to God for his salvation?
It’s comforting to know that to be a person after God’s own heart I don’t have to be perfect. That’s not what he is looking for. We have Jesus to thank for that. What God is looking for is someone who seeks him and is willing to do everything he wants. What do you think? Do you think you can do that? I’m certainly going to try.