MEN AND WOMEN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

God had removed Saul as king over the nation of Israel. He had become proud and would no longer be faithful to the Word of God. He therefore sent the Prophet Samuel to anoint a new king over Israel who would obey Him. The Apostle Paul had explained:

·       “And when God had removed [King Saul], He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’” (Acts 13:22 NKJV; 1 Samuel 13:14)

David had been chosen because he was a man after God’s “own heart.” Why did God commend him in this way? Unlike Saul, David had trusted God to such an extent that he would obey His Word.

However, in the eyes of man, David was the youngest and least impressive of his brothers. God had told the Prophet Samuel to go to the family of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as the next king. But when Samuel was introduced to Jesse’ oldest sons, he was convinced, by their appearance, that they were God’s choice. However, God reprimanded His Prophet:

·       But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

Instead, David was the most unlikely choice. He was the one son that Jesse hadn’t invited to appear before Samuel, the only one whom his father had disqualified, but he was God’s choice.

I too want to be a man after God’s own heart. Even if the world rejects me, I want to be God’s choice. However, I began to think about what this would entail. Would I always be willing to entrust myself to the will of my Father as Jesus had done?

·       Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’” (Hebrews 10:5-7, quoting Psalm 40)

Or would I also be willing to trust in His Word more than in my own judgments? This had been King Saul’s downfall. According to God’s directions, the Prophet Samuel had ordered Saul to destroy the evil Amalekites and everything that they had possessed. However, Saul thought he knew better than God and spared the best of their cattle:

·       So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil [the cattle], and do evil in the sight of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 17-19)

When we become successful, there is a danger that we will become proud and begin to believe that we are so important that we don’t have to cling to the Word of God. Saul deceptively justified himself, claiming that by keeping the best cattle, he’d be able to make an offering to God, but Samuel reprimanded him for his disobedience:

·       So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” (I Samuel 15:17-19, 22-23)

Samuel claimed that Saul’s disobedience was as bad as the sin of witchcraft. Why? When we reject God’s Word, we are rejecting God. Therefore, when we turn away from doing His Word, He turns from us.

I too could see myself turning away from God by trusting in my own thinking, but would I remain faithful? Would the Church remain faithful? Would we be men and women after God’s own heart?