After God's Own Heart

Prayer

David, A Man After God’s Own Heart

Recap of last week, Saul’s reign as king

Today we’re going to pick up where we left off last week as we make our way through the book of 1 Samuel. Last week we looked at Saul, the first king of Israel, how his reign began. It began very well - Saul united the tribes of Israel to come together to fight against the Ammonites, winning a great victory.

But as we saw, it did not last. Saul quickly showed his colors - the primary color being that of fear. Fear which led to disobeying God. We saw that in multiple examples: Saul afraid of losing his army, so instead of waiting for Samuel to come to make the offering, he makes it himself. Then the foolish oath he makes, not allowing his army to eat while they pursue the Philistines. Finally, the coup de grace, when God gave Saul the command to destroy entirely the Amalekites, he failed to do so.

As we pick up the story in 1 Samuel 16, we see that God has already chosen Saul’s successor, and he sends Samuel to go anoint his chosen king. I want to take a few minutes to walk us through the story.

David is anointed by Samuel, 1 Samuel 16 -

1 Samuel 16:1-5 - The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

Our story starts with God saying to Samuel, “quit moping, buddy!”. Time to get going - the Lord already has another king chosen, and now Samuel is to go anoint him. Notice that the idea of going scares Samuel. He knows there’s a real danger that if Saul finds out he’s anointing a new king behind his back, he’s not going to be happy about it. So the Lord provides cover for Samuel - telling him to take a heifer to go to Bethlehem in order to make a sacrifice with the people there.

So Samuel goes - and we see that he’s not the only one nervous about this trip. When he arrives at Bethlehem, the elders of the town “trembled.” It appears that the word has gotten out about this tension between Saul and Samuel. They don’t want to get caught in the middle of it. Samuel - just here to worship with you, make a sacrifice to the Lord. We’ll pick up the story from there.

1 Samuel 16:6-13 - When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Here we see God’s wisdom, his heart revealed, in this decision process of who will be king. Samuel looks at all the sons of Jesse, certain that the one before him is “the one.” But it’s based purely on their physical appearances. Which is the way we generally tend to judge others - outwardly.

But the Lord sees more. He knows more. He knows the heart. He knows the very center of who we are. And this is the basis of who he chooses - he chooses David because of his heart. There’s several passages in 1 Samuel that reveal David’s heart:

When the Lord rejected Saul, 1 Samuel 15:28, Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. David has a better character than Saul, he will be obedient to God, unlike Saul.

Here’s the verse that really describes who David is, this comes from 1 Samuel 13:14, as Samuel confronts Saul for not waiting to do the offering before the battle with the Philistines: But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command. A man after God’s own heart.

Now David happens to be a handsome young man, but it’s not why God chooses him, as we’ve seen. So Samuel anoints him, taking the horn of oil and anoints him in the presence of his family, his father and brothers. And note how the passage ends, “and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”

So in the last part of 1 Samuel 16, verses 14-23, we get a flip. As the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David, Spirit departs from Saul, vs. 14 - Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

This verse is a little surprising - does God send evil spirits? But the word here can be described as a harmful or tormenting spirit. Much in the way that God may send a physical affliction as punishment (remember when God afflicted Miriam for speaking against her brother, Moses?). That seems to be what’s happening here, God is afflicting Saul.

Saul’s attendants suggest that Saul find someone who can play the lyre that will sooth him when the tormenting spirit comes upon him. So Saul commands it so.

Just so happens that one of the servants knows of a young man who plays the lyre who would be a great fit - he’s brave, smart, fine-looking. “And the Lord is with him.” That young man happens to be a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, David. So we see God at work here, bringing David into the royal household.

So Saul sends for David, who comes to Saul to play the lyre for him. David so impresses Saul that he requests that Jesse allow David to stay in his service. And after a time, David becomes one of Saul’s armor-bearers, a military position that demonstrates that Saul really likes and trusts David.

Becoming People After God’s Own Heart

So God chose David because of his heart. Because David’s heart reflected God’s heart. He was a man after God’s own heart. So I want to take some time this morning to look at this. As God looks at us - not our outward appearance, but our hearts, what does he see? Does he see a heart that is after God’s own heart? What does this mean to have a heart after God’s own heart?

One of the things that would be helpful to know is what the Bible means by heart? When someone has a heart that is after God’s heart, what does that involve, what is that saying about that person?

In Hebrew, the word for heart is Levan, or more often, Lev. For Israelites, the heart was far more than just the organ in our body that pumps blood - in Hebrew thinking, the heart is the very center of a person (if you missed it, the newsletter we sent out last week had a great short video on what the Bible means by heart.)

And it really involves the fullness of who we are. For example, In Hebrew, there is no word for brain. It’s the heart where intellectual activity takes place - understanding, thinking, reflecting. So the heart reflects our mental activity.

Not just our mental, activity, but our emotions. It’s the heart where we feel - feel pain (where we get “broken heart”), fear. We can have a “heart of joy”. So, the heart is also, the center of our emotion.

There is, of course, physical aspect of the heart, very necessary part of our physical body. That’s included in what the Jews think of as the heart.

Finally, heart is where we make choices, it’s the center of our desires, the desires of our heart.

So to be someone after God’s own heart means that every aspect of who we are - our mind, our emotions, our bodies, our will - is after every aspect of who God is, his heart. Totality of who we are is for the totality of who God is. That’s exactly why the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart and all of our mind and all of our soul and all of our strength.

But what is God’s heart? After all, we can’t be people after God’s own heart if we don’t know God, we don’t know God’s heart. I want to offer some central aspects of God’s heart. There’s much more that could be said here, but here’s what the Scriptures reveal to us about what’s central, what’s at the heart of God’s heart.

Begin with this - God loves his creation. In particular, God loves us. People. You and me. If you miss this, you miss God. John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. It’s why the second commandment follows right after the first and greatest - love your neighbor as yourself.

Hopefully, this is no surprise to you. Well, yeah, duh. After all, we are beings who were made in God’s own image. The creation he beamed over - when he looked at sky and the waters and the animals, it said it was good. And when he looked at us, humanity, he declared it, very good. Exceedingly good. God’s heart resonated with joy over us.

God made us for relationship with him - to know him, love him, enjoy him, glorify him. To share in his good work, to work with him. All this points to the fact that we are at the very center of God’s heart.

Consider for a moment what this means - this idea that people are at the center of God’s heart. He genuinely, fully, freely loves each and every person. Every single one (take a moment to just let different people run through your mind, people that you know - neighbor…old friend from when you went to school…your family…people you know but you don’t like very much). And if we’re going to be people after God’s own heart, then people - all people, must be at the center of our hearts. We cannot be for God, we cannot share in his work, truly be his people, without loving people.

Because this is true, because God has such a heart for people, his heart is opposed to sin, God is thoroughly and absolutely against sin. Which is exactly what is meant by God’s wrath. Wrath is God’s staunch opposition to sin.

And it’s all because his heart is so for people. Because of sin opposes us. It always works against us - sin always diminishes us, always separates us, always moves us from life and into death. And God wants so, so much more for us. He wants life - and as we say so often here at PCC - abundant life. Full and forever life.

Just considers all the ways sin diminishes us: I saw a story, a popular young actress talking about how unsafe the paparazzi makes her feel. Apparently, they wait in kayaks in the bushes outside her home for hours, yelling at her to come out in her bikini so they can get some pictures, then they’ll go away. She’s just a meal ticket for them so they can feed the lust of others (lust is reducing others to body parts, person only exists for my pleasure, my benefit.

Anger always separates it, as soon as I express it, I’ve wounded another. It’s caused separation, division, between us. Pride is sin of comparison, I’m better. Which means that someone else must be less so I can consider myself more (smarter, more morally righteous, harder worker, etc.). Pride is sin that keeps me separated from God - I think I know better, my way to life is better, my will, what I want.

Because all of this is true, God’s heart for people, his opposition to sin - God is always working to bring people back to him. Move us out of sin. Take us out of death and into life. This is the good news - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. God did the work. Jesus willingly laid his life down so that we can be reconciled to God.

2 Peter 3:9 says it perfectly, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God does not want anyone to die, he wants everyone to experience the life he offers through his son by repenting.

Why Jesus called followers - not only so that we might experience life in Jesus Christ, but that we would join him in sharing the good news, that abundant life, forgiveness of sins is available. Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Jesus fills us with Spirit so we can witness, tell the truth, about him.

Not surprising, the places where we see Jesus the most angry, the most worked up - is when people hinder others coming to him. It’s a reflection of his heart. Jesus turning over the tables of the corrupt moneychangers in the temple area - because it hindered people. His father’s house was meant to be a house of prayer, a place to come be with the father - not a marketplace, a den of robbers.

Listen to this, Mark 9:42 - If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. Listen to that - if you lead one of Jesus’ followers into stumbling, to sin - it would be better if you were drowned like the mafia got after you. Don’t get in the way of people coming to Jesus. Jesus loves people, that’s his heart. And if we’re going to be people after God’s own heart, we need to move toward loving other people.

Spiritual Disciplines

Discipline of Meditating on Scripture - someone sent me a little video this week, pastor sharing some statistics based on study of how often people read the Bible. Those who read it once a week, no impact on their lives. Gets a little better if you read it two or three. But the real impact comes for those who read their Bibles four or more times a week - 228% more likely to share their faith. Over 400% more likely to memorize Scripture. 59% less likely to view pornography. 22% less like to struggle with loneliness, depression. The idea is this - when we seek after God, knowing him, knowing his heart, through his word - we are changed. Transformed. We become more like Jesus. Obedient - like David (and not like Saul). Obedience always moves us toward loving others - greatest commandments.

Second thing I would offer - is that we would continue to commit ourselves to praying regularly for those we want to see come to know Jesus Christ. As a church, we would love people in the way God does - that they would come to experience life in him. Taking small steps to become a church that truly helps to lead others into the abundant life of Jesus - first step, praying daily for people you know.

Just one small way that we can move more toward becoming the people I hope we long to become - people after God’s own heart.