How Did David Become a Man After God’s Heart?

November 25, 2021

How are you becoming a man or woman after God's own heart?

How Did David Become a Man After God’s Heart?

By Brooke Holt

“Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, ‘I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.’” - Psalm 132:1-5

One day while David was serving as King of Israel, he had a great awakening to the fact that he was dwelling in a gorgeous palace while the ark of the covenant dwelled within a tent (2 Samuel 7:2). It became King David’s driving passion and commitment to build a home for the Lord. While the prophet Samuel initially blessed David in his efforts, the Lord redirected those plans. It was not David who would build a home for the Lord but David’s son (2 Samuel 7:12-13). It was an affirmation to David’s great idea, but an affirmation with a “not yet” attached to it.

When you hear a “not yet” from the Lord, how do you respond? David heard and received the word of the Lord from Samuel. King David even surrendered to the plan, and then he went to work. His passion for this temple to be built would not be diminished but increased as he purchased land for the temple, began collecting materials, organized priests and musicians for the future temple, created a military to protect the temple, laid out a blueprint for the temple, and called for offerings to be made. David didn’t just wait and dream; David began the work knowing that he would never see this temple with human eyes but only that it would bless his people for generations to come. (See 1 Chronicles chapters 21-29 for David’s preparatory work for temple.)

David’s passion was for the worship of the Lord. He longed for others to join in that worship and longed for God to dwell among his people, to be in the midst of his people. We can see David’s joy and passion as he danced throughout the streets while the ark was being brought back to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:16). David was anything but half-hearted in his love and worship. Through his passionate pursuit and love of the Lord, King David became a man after God’s own heart. He loved what God loved, and he worshipped the Lord with all his might!

What about you? Are you daily becoming a man or woman after God’s heart? Are you passionate about the worship of the Lord? Do you receive the word of the Lord as instruction for your life? Are you receptive to God’s “not yet” in which you may be called to wait or to work while you are waiting? Are you focused on God’s glory or your glory? Lastly, are you living a life that looks ahead to the next generations? Are you building the kingdom of God in a way that will bless those you may never see on this earth?

Many love the idea of being a man or woman after God’s heart but aren’t quite as excited to the surrender and work that allow for that holy transformation to take place. As we wrap up the church year this week, it is an ideal time to contemplate what new God has for you—new opportunities to build his kingdom, new heart transformation, and new ways of worshipping with your whole being.

David is an example for us in so many ways. May we, like him, devote ourselves to becoming that man or woman after God’s heart.

Reflection:
How are you becoming a man or woman after God’s own heart? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

Let's face it, the Christian life is hard. Relationships take work. Christians forget. Sometimes it is tempting to go back to the days when God was not the center of our lives - to backslide. We are all faced with tremendous pressures to drift away from intimacy with Jesus and the community of the Church. However, the Lord invites us to pay attention, to move forward, to draw near, and to live lives of worship. Draw Near: Hebrews on Christian Worship is a small group Bible study on the Book of Hebrews intended to lead participants into a deeper intimacy with the living God in the context of New Testament worship. Draw nearer to God in authentic worship today!