King David was a shepherd boy, a musician, a giant killer, a fugitive, King of Israel, and a flawed family man. He was honored by God as a man after God’s own heart not because of what he had done but the way he touched the Father's heart. This beautiful honor from God prompted many Christians to seek what this kind of heart is like… Have you found the way to have a heart that is after God’s own heart?
David, before he became the King of Israel, had already touched the heart of God as tabulated in his beautiful Psalm, Psalm 23. Out of his overflown revelation of God's love and graciousness, he wrote this beautiful Psalm when he was still a shapherd boy in the field.
A psalm of David
Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Psalm 23:3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
To understand his revelation of God’s heart and his spontaneous respond, let’s break this Psalm into two parts. First part is on his revelation of the Father's heart and His deeds while the second part is on David's spontaneous respond.
His revelation of the Father’s heart
The LORD is my shepherd.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He restores my soul.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life
His spontaneous respond
I shall not be in want.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Despite of the fact that he was living under the dispensation of Law, he had a good expectation of how the Father’s heart is. He understood God’s heart is gracious and full of lovingkindness; and he dreamed of having such a forgiven life as he confessed in Psalm 32: 1~2: Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Friend, his dream is our reality and we have the kind of life he longed for when Jesus died for our sins on the Cross. He saw our generation as a forgiven generation because of Jesus' Finished Work on the Cross while he was shepherding the sheep in the field. God, the Father credited to David the honor of "a man after God’s own heart" because of David's understanding of His grace and lovingkindness.
What kind of opinion do you have of God our Father in heaven? How do you find Him as your heavenly Father?
Friend, Psalm 23 is full of the expression of the Grace of God and portrays non of our human effort. When we see His grace and we respond with spontaneity, we have touched the Father's heart and He in turn, credits to us with a honor of "a man after His own heart"…!
Are you still searching...?
John 6:28 ~ 29: Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Praise Daddy for you're the most loving Father of all. Thank you for loving us so much and we love You too.
ReplyDeletePosted: yaso
I think David understood that God desired to "tabernacle" with His people thus his bringing the ark to Jerusalem while sacrifices were still being made elsewhere. David danced with joy in realizing, as you said, God's great love and Grace for us that would come through Jesus. God had given him revelation of His all surpassing love and mercy.
ReplyDeleteAfter duel consideration, I would admit that we cannot "disassociate" David with the Tabernacle of God. But I would rather put it this way: these are the fruits of his belief...
ReplyDeleteI just think of my previous Christian life and was very much influenced by the charismatic movement; we could do all the David's "ritual" just to be associated with David gesture to earn the honor of a man after God's own heart... To date, the search is still on... -_-!!! of couse, not me...!!!
After being enlightened by His grace, the Lord had changed my way of seeing thing and I realized that grace is the "heart" thing and if God's great love and Grace did not impacted David while he was a Shepherd boy, he would not have been a musician, he would not have had the spirit to confront Goliath, he would not have been a fugitive full of charisma and wisdom, he would notbe the King of Israel and the Ark would not be brought back to Jerusalem...
Our deeds can never touch God's heart... it is our heart that touches His heart... because Grace is a "heart" thing.
Absolutely!!! David understood God's heart while still watching his flocks. I think all that David accomplished was out of his realizing God's Grace for him that was still in the future. David understood Who kept whom. I just like the fact that in bringing the ark to Jerusalem, he typified "the tabernacle without walls": US!! :)
ReplyDeleteOur fruit is a direct result of intimate union with Christ and we will never allow ourselves to be intimate if we don't understand God's Grace toward us in Christ. Once we see that, fruit is a natural result, just as children are to marriage. Spiritul intimacy begets Life.
The internet can make conversation somewhat challenging. :)
Grace & love.
Thank you Jamie, your comments fixed the missing puzzles in this post and you are a blessing to those who are still seeking the have the heart that is after God's own heart!
ReplyDeleteYaso, you are blessed that you don't have to seek! You already have it... what a blessing!