King David : A Man After God’s Heart

You’ve now listened to many stories about David, haven’t you? In our big story, David’s life on earth is almost over. He’s lived a Big LIFE for God. He made a few BIG mistakes too, but did you notice that he never stopped lining up his heart with God’s? That is what made him a man after God’s heart. No matter what happened — happy or sad, victory or defeat — David came back to his Father-God. God had cracked open the sky for David to see Yahweh as Daa-Daa… and David would keep coming back to that all the days of his life.

Do you know what 3 things I’m going to remember about David? 1) That he looked and kept on looking to God. 2) That he sang and kept on singing to God. 3) That he became and kept on becoming who God wanted him to be.

I really want to be like that too, don’t you?

Think about it…

Did it surprise you when I said “he sang”? Did you think, “What’s so special about singing?” It was actually very special. When you read the songs David wrote that are in your Bible, you’ll see that David turned to God and sang in every kind of circumstance of life.

That’s not something that people just do naturally. That’s a choice. We’re not just naturally humble and dependent on God. To come back to our Heavenly Daddy’s lap day after day, year after year, circumstance after circumstance is a choice.

How do I know that? Because I have to make those choices too. And some days you just won’t feel like turnin’ your eyes up to Heaven. But do it anyway. And some days you just won’t feel like singin’. But do it anyway. You’ll be glad you did. I promise.

David looked for God in all the circumstances of life…

In the fields taking care of his little lambs? He saw that God was his Shepherd and sang, “The Lord is MY Shepherd, He leads me to the best grasses! (Mmmm. Tasty.)” (Psalm 23)

And when Mr. Lion and Mr. Bear and then Mr. Giant and others wanted to hurt his father’s sheep? Bam! Thud! NOT OK. And David sang, “God will ruin you, you evil-doer. He will uproot you... But I am like a happy healthy tree planted in God’s House.” (Psalm 52) (David became a good shepherd and protector of God’s Family.)

And when David was waiting his turn to be king? David sang, “My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not thinking I’m “big stuff”; I’m content. Satisfied with You.”(Psalm 131)

And when David was sent into the most dangerous parts of the battles? David sang, “God scattered our enemies! He trains my hands for battle.” (Psalm 18) And, “Give us your help, God. Human help is worthless.” (Psalm 60) (And David became a courageous warrior.)

And when David had to run away from Saul and live in the dry, hot desert? David’s dry, thirsty lips sang, “In a dried up land where there is no water, I thirst for YOU, God. I long for YOU! My lips will praise You as long as I live. I’ll lift my arms up to You.” (Psalm 63) (Next time you are really hot and thirsty, try lifting your arms up and singing… It’s hard to sing and lift up your tired arms when you are super thirsty, but David did it anyway. And he became long-suffering and patient.)

And when David did things that were terribly wrong? He was sorry. He cried with his face to the ground as he kept on singing, “O God, wash me, so that I can be whiter than snow. Whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart (instead of this dirty one).” (Psalm 51)

And on the days that just weren’t going so well? David never changed his attitude of praise. He sang, “Taste and see that the Lord is Good. Mmmm. Yummy. My God is good stuff. Those who look in His face are Radiant-Shiny! The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, He hears their cries.” (Psalm 34)

David never stopped singing, singing, singing about what his Yahweh-Daddy-God meant to him. “You are my daddy, my God, my Hero!” (Psalm 89) “I sing and make music. With my praises to You, I call the early morning to wake up, wake up, wake up.” Psalm 57

David never stopped worshipping, and he sang, sang, sang as he became who God wanted him to be.

And, that’s why God could say about David, “This guy David gets Me! He has a heart like Mine!”

YOU can discover these things about God too. Take the time to See God in the world around you. Turn to Him, draw close to Him. He wants to show you things about Himself! Sing and tell of your discoveries. And most importantly DO something about what you see. Let the things you see become part of you, and then SING, Sing, Sing IT!

You just might become a man or woman after God’s heart too! I hope so! I really, really do!