We know we love God when we consistently—though imperfectly—make His desires our own.
A Heart for God
Acts 13:16 – 13:22
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with [his] hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave [unto them] judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, 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.
God’s assessment of David’s heart is one of the highest praises that anyone has ever received from the Lord. And this commendation is not reserved exclusively for Israel’s beloved king; in fact, our Father longs for every one of His children to have a heart for Him.
In Acts 13:22, the Lord called David “a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” In other words, the chief characteristic of a heart for God is a passion to obey Him. Not every act of King David’s life was as the Lord would have desired, but his pattern was to follow after God. And David also knew what to do when he sinned. His prayer was that the Lord would search out any wicked way in him, clean it up, and help him to get back on track to become the kind of person his heavenly Father wanted him to be (Psalm 139:23-24).
David’s highest priority was his relationship with the Lord. He delighted in both reading God’s Word and having intimate conversations with the Father, many of which are recorded for us in the book of Psalms. In addition, the Scriptures reveal many examples of how David trusted the Lord in all the challenges of his life. This humble servant recognized that any greatness he achieved as king was actually due to God alone.
Becoming a man or woman with a heart for the Lord is a valuable goal. Our aim is not perfection but a consistent, growing relationship with Him. In the process, we will discover that our desires and interests increasingly align with God’s, and obeying Him will be our great delight.
In Touch Ministries
About The Author
