Guest Post by Richard Rogers. Richard writes daily posts via his Facebook page. Follow him on Facebook here.
One of the most famous of all figures of the Bible is David, the lowly shepherd boy who slew a Philistine giant and, favored by God, reined for 40 years as king of Israel. Wandering far from perfection, David was an adulterer, a murderer, and a man of war. Despite these human flaws, David had a unique relationship with God. In fact, David held a distinction shared by no other character in the Holy Scriptures. When God withdrew His divine favor from Israel’s first king Saul, we are told in 1 Samuel 13:14 of the Old Testament, “The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people.” That man who earned one of God’s highest commendations was David. Listen to what the Lord said in Acts 13:22 of the New Testament: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” Regarded as a man after His own heart, God gave His servant David perhaps the highest praise recorded in the Bible.
There are many reasons that the Lord considered David to be (quoting now) “a man after My own heart.” The character assets that prompted God to say that about David, according to an online source, can be discerned by reading the Book of Psalms, known as the national hymnal of Israel. More than half of the 150 Psalms were written by David. First and foremost, King David trusted God with absolute faith. “For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved,” said the faithful David in Psalm 21:7. Before taking down the 9’6” Philistine champion Goliath with a single stone from his sling, David exuberantly declared his faith the Lord, saying: “He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37) Not only was David a man of faith, He was obedient to God. Reflecting his attitude of obedience, David said in Psalm 119:34: “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.”
David committed some horrible sins, to be sure, but His heart was repentant. In Psalm 25:11, for example, he sought forgiveness, asking: “For Your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.” The qualities of faith, obedience, and repentance all combined to endear David to the Lord Almighty as a man after God’s own heart. David’s life was also a picture of other godly attributes. King David was loving, humble, reverent, and respectful, devoted. He constantly gave praise and thanks to God for strength, guidance, and deliverance from his enemies. These are all admirable qualities that we should seek to cultivate in our lives. As Christians, we have been given the indwelling power of God’s Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and shape us into vessels of love and service. David was no less human than any of us, yet in his innermost being He was recognized by God as “a man after His own heart.” Let’s make that our aspiration as well, and seek, as David did to: “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name;”
(Psalm 29:2)
