Heartbeat after God

David is described as a man after God’s own heart. In Acts 13:22 God said, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart.  He will do everything I want him to do." 

What is it to have a heart after God’s own heart?  From this passage in Acts we can see that it is having a heart that is submitted to doing God’s will in our lives.  It is having a heart that is fully, wholeheartedly committed to God. 

David gave instruction and words of encouragement to his son Solomon, who would serve as the next king of Israel.   He told his son, “Devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. “  (1 Chronicles 22:19)  He said, “You, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. “ (1 Chronicles 28:9)

Notice the phrases “devote your heart” and “wholehearted devotion.” Devote means to set your heart upon.  It is to give, to place, or to fasten something in place.  On what is your heart fastened?  What is your heart set upon? Wholehearted devotion is a heart and a life that lives to honor and worship God.

It’s not that David was perfect by any means!  He made many bad choices and had many of the same struggles that we all deal with.  What made a difference in his life was that he set his heart upon God.  I am so glad to know that to devote my heart to God does not require perfection from me! 

We can easily discount ourselves from God’s plans by thinking we must be extraordinary in our abilities or perfect in our Christian walk.  Yet, God just wants our heart. God is searching the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) 

David had a heart after God’s own heart.  That heart was willing to do everything God wanted him to do. David died having served the purpose of God in his own generation.  It was his heart that allowed him to serve the purpose of God.

You have been placed in this time, in your family, in your place of employment, in your world to serve the purpose of God in your own generation. 

Will it be said of you that you had a heart after God’s own heart?  Will it be said of you that your heart was willing to do all that God wanted you to do?  Will it be said of you that you served the purpose of God in your generation? 

Let’s let our heartbeat after God and his purpose.