A Spiritual Heart Check

2,400 people a day die from it. 80 million people in the United States live with it. The cost of preventing it was $48 billion in the U.S. alone in 2008. 17 million people around the world die from it each year. Strangely, much of it is preventable. What is it? It’s heart disease.

It is largely preventable with good habits like eating right and exercise. But most of us are not doing the things that prevent this disease from advancing. Maybe we should all stand up and do some jumping jacks right now?! Okay, maybe not, there aren’t enough doctors in the house!

Let’s take a moment and take our pulse. You can try at your wrist or perhaps your carotid in your neck. Do you feel it? Good! You’re alive!

How’s the health of your heart today? In the medical world, a doctor uses a stethoscope to listen and see if the beat has any irregularities, and uses an EKG or a CT scanner or a cardiac MRI machine to look inside determine your heart’s condition. Even though we’ve all just demonstrated that we’re alive physically, that’s not the pulse God takes of our lives. He takes our spiritual pulse.

1 Samuel 16:7 says,

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

As Pastor Rick Warren says, ‘the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart’. God doesn’t look at the outside, he looks at the inside.

God actually has a 24-7 lock onto your spiritual heart condition. He peers into the inner workings of your life with his Holy Spirit.

Is that fascinating to you, or is it a bit scary? God’s spiritual stethoscope measures your spiritual condition; he takes your spiritual pulse. What do you think yours sounds like to him?

Before we jump into our story, let’s clarify what the Bible means when it uses the word, heart. The word is used over a thousand times in the Bible. The heart is considered to be the center of our emotions, desires, passions and appetites (Genesis 18:5, Leviticus 19:17, Psalm 104:15). It represents who we are at the center, it’s the place around which our moral, spiritual and intellectual life revolves.

The Bible tells us our heart can be hardened (Exodus 4:21), that it is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), yet despite our sin nature the law of God is written there (Romans 2:15), and God’s cleansing grace happens there (Acts 15:9).

Emotions like joy, love, courage, anger, sorrow are attributed to our hearts. So the Biblical concept of the heart essentially represents who we are.

King David was called “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). So, his heart is held up as a model for us to examine.

As we explore several episodes from David’s life, we’ll peer inside the heart of this king. As we do, I want you be examining your own heart, to see if it is in shape to receive God’s blessings, which God promises if our hearts are pure (Matthew 5:8). We’ll do some ‘open heart surgery’ as it were...are you ready?

The Journey of Faith

From the time we are introduced to the young shepherd, David, to his death in a state of honor as Israel’s beloved king, he meets the challenges of his life with extraordinary faith. His deep connection with God empowers him to do mighty deeds and win the adoration of his kingdom, yet the undercurrent weaving through every story of his life is the remarkable state of his heart. His connection with God, it turns out, is both a source of strength, and a sign of his heart condition.

Let’s explore what the heart of such a man of faith looks like.

Sermon Question: What’s the result of your spiritual heart check?

As we look at that we’re going to ask four questions, so let’s go. First up:

1. How is your heart of worship?

2 Samuel 7:1–2 ESV

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”

Textual Explanation

David had a heart that was focused on worshipping God. Once David had established himself as king in Jerusalem, he found that he was deeply troubled that he lived in a palace, but the ark of the covenant, which represented God’s holy presence, rested in a tent. So David calls the prophet Nathan and announces his intention to build a temple to house the ark. This reveals the heart of David to pour a vast amount of physical resources into honoring God through building a center for worship.

In a dream, Nathan is instructed to inform David that the task of building the temple would not be his because of his life as a warrior. In a remarkable twist, David is informed that The Lord himself will establish a house for you (7:11). The house that God intends to build for David is a dynasty that will include the future Messiah. It is through David’s family tree that Jesus will be born. One of Jesus’ titles will be “The Son of David.”

David made lavish preparations for the temple which his son Solomon would build. He set aside a massive amount of money, wrote music for temple worship, and laid out the design of the temple. The desire to prepare for building a temple for public worship was a driving mission of David’s life. David, the man after God’s own heart, had a heart of worship directed towards God.

Application

How does your heart compare? Are you driven to worship? How high in your list of priorities is giving worship to God? Does it even make your top ten for this week? Just being here on Sunday morning does not necessarily qualify as worship. How have you shown God the reverence and esteem due him through the way you have conducted your life this week?

2. How is your heart of repentance?

2 Samuel 12:1–13 (NIV)

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Textual Explanation

Not all of David’s actions were admirable. In fact, he is known for committing adultery with Bathsheba, one of his soldier’s wives. He even brought Bathsheba’s husband home on leave from battle so he could sleep with Bathsheba, to cover for her pregnancy. When he didn’t cooperate, David had Uriah killed in battle. Clearly, the Bible does not attempt to shield us from the sins committed by its heroes. Aren’t you glad the Bible portrays its characters in an honest fashion? There is no air-brushed hero here. Yes, David was a war hero, a king and a poet; but he was also deceitful, adulterous, and a murderer. Are you feeling just a little more normal now? Since all of us sin, our take-away from David’s big mistake is what happens after his sin. How did David respond to his failure? After being confronted with his failure, he says, I have sinned against the Lord. He repents and seeks forgiveness. Notice that he did not deny he did it, he did not make excuses, he did not rationalize by talking about what or who caused him to act this way, he did not blame Bathsheba for her part in the dirty deed. He honestly admitted his failure, asked for forgiveness and moved forward.

Application

How are you doing at forgiving others for their mistakes?

Are you dressed in judge’s robes or holding a set of jailer’s keys?

Do you have those who sinned against you in some lifelong debtor’s prison?

Or, maybe you’re holding yourself hostage for the mistakes of your past.

Like David, we need to let it go and let our mistakes come under the grace of God. That’s the heart of the gospel! Forgiveness. God used David, and he can use you and those around you who have sinned.

Cross References

The Psalms give us a glimpse into David’s heart. Psalm 51:1-3 O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stains of my sins. Wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again for I admit my shameful deeds.

Psalm 51:17 God will not reject a repentant heart. Psalms of repentance shows us a God-like response to our own sin. David, the man after God’s own heart, had a heart of repentance.

Application

Unfortunately, we often associate our strongest memories of David with Bathsheba and his adulterous affair. That’s regretful, because we all fail in various degrees, and when we do, we want to receive grace from others.

Take a minute right now and do some heart surgery. Ask yourself, “What do I do to myself when I sin? Do I forgive myself too easily? Or do I hold myself hostage for years over my failure?”

Then ask, “What do I do when others around me sin? Do I dish out contempt toward others over something that I would let myself off the hook for?”

Let’s grant those around us, the same grace we’d want others to give us if we failed.

3. How is your heart of trust?

Where do you place your trust when the going gets tough? In your own strength? In your well- organized ‘to do’ list? David put his trust in his God. We read in 2 Samuel 15…

2 Samuel 15:23–26 (NIV)

The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness. Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God…Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

His life had plenty of occurrences that would cause the average church member’s jaw to drop right to the floor. He was always at war with the nations around him. He was on the run from Saul and lived in various caves to escape. (I imagine you haven’t tried that lately?!) His family was not one the average Christian magazine would profile on the front cover...it was a mess! He had a son who raped his daughter, and his other son killed that brother when he found out about it. One of his sons, Absalom, staged a coup attempt for the kingdom against his own father and then was killed. David, now well-advanced in years, flees the city of Jerusalem. When the high priest, Zadok, carries the ark of the covenant out of Jerusalem to accompany David in his flight, David instructs him to carry it back into the city. Whew! Talk about stress and a series of messes!

Cross Reference

Listen to what David wrote about this, where we get a glimpse into his heart of trust.

Psalm 118:5–6 (ESV)

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Under great stress factors, David reminded himself that God was in charge and God was on his side and thus he should not allow himself to be afraid. David had extreme trust in God.

Psalm 73:25 ESV

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

David had a heart of trust, even when his life was at its most stressed.

Application Well, how are you doing on this heart attitude? Give yourself a quick exam.

What is your response to the stress life throws at you?

Do you begin to doubt and become worried, or does your heart trust in the one who made you?

Why not start leaning into him today.

Then our fourth question of our exam:

4. How is your heart of humility?

We read in 1 Samuel 18 verses 6-7:

1 Samuel 18:6–7 NIV

When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

and then down in verse 14 1 Sam 18:14

1 Samuel 18:14 (NIV)

In everything [David] did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.

Textual Explanation

Even at the height of David’s success, when he was receiving the most acclaim from others for his exploits, he gave the credit to the God. David was in the top tier of successful leaders. He killed national enemy #1 and became a hero. They even wrote songs about him! The Bible says that all Judah and Israel loved David. And how did David respond to all the fame?

Psalm 115:1 ESV

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

He gave the glory to God. His heart was humble.

Application

Let’s do some final open-heart surgery now. Ready?

How do you handle success?

When everything is a ten out of ten in your life, do you think it was because of your efforts?

When your kids are obedient, your bank account is full, you get to eat out a lot, your company rewards you with a trip and your car has not broken down for six months, do you say, “I’ve really done well lately!”

When the package labeled “GLORY ENCLOSED” arrives in your mailbox, I’d like to see us mark it “Return to Sender” and send it back to where it belongs...on the doorstep of God, the Almighty One, the one who gave us the very breath we breathe.

2 Chronicles 16:9 (ESV)

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Closing

David was one of the greatest leaders in the Bible. His resume included stints as a loving shepherd, a fearless giant killer, a general, and a strategic king who united kingdoms. To top it all off, he was a musician and a poet!

If you love reading Psalms, you’ve taken many a glimpse into the character and heart of this man. He accomplished much for God in his lifetime, yet God wasn't impressed with any of those accomplishments. God was more thrilled with David’s heart.

Acts 13:22 (ESV)

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

How do you compare to David’s heart?

Where are you doing well?

Where are you not doing too well?

Conduct a heart exam by spending time with God each day, getting to know his heart. We’ve all experienced the joy of this process as we journey through the Bible in 90 Days.

We’ve looked at four ‘heart conditions’ of David. When God put the spiritual stethoscope up to David’s heart, he found it to be worshipful, repentant, trusting, and humble.

1 Chronicles 29:28 (NLT)

[David] died at a ripe old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor.

My prayer for all of us is that when we die we will leave behind strong evidence of these four character traits in our lives, and that among the honors given to us will be the greatest honor of all, honor for being a man or a woman after God’s own heart.