Friday, March 25, 2011

A Man After God’s Heart


Psalm 119: 14 –16 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Now, I understand why God called David a man after his own heart. Yes, David sinned and made many mistakes like any other man, but he always came humbly before the Lord with a broken and contrite heart. But, after reading Psalm 119, David’s heart goes beyond that. His words are so incredible! It put me to shame. I mean, honestly how many of us believers can say we speak as David did? Who of us, from the depths of our heart say these things to the Lord, as David does in Psalm 119? Words like: Oh, how I love your law! I long for your salvation. Your law is very delightful! I live to abide by your law and my heart is set to keep your decrees! Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws. Give me discernment that I may understand your statutes…..

Psalm 119 is the longest passage of scripture in the Bible, and its 137 verses are David’s words of praising, honoring, and loving God’s laws and covenant. We don’t praise God’s laws like that! We don’t wake up every morning excited for the opportunity to live according to God’s decrees! We are so focused on pursuing our own desires, dreams, goals, selfish gains, and we hope those things are what God wants for us too. Instead, it should be the other way around. Why is it that we so don’t desire to know God’s word inside and out, to know what he’s all about so we will know the life He wants us to live? And yes, it may mean that we have to change some of our old ways. God wants us to live Holy, as He is Holy. That doesn’t sound so bad to me. What’s wrong with that? It may not always be easy, but, shouldn’t we want to strive for that? Shouldn’t we as believers live a life "set apart" from the rest of the world? Shouldn’t we want to live a life that’s pleasing to our Heavenly Father? The scriptures say: 1 John 2:15 - “be in the world, but not of the world...” Romans 12 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I recently had a discussion with a friend about our lifestyle being a reflection of our relationship with the Lord. We weren’t in complete agreement, but we did agree that at the end of the day, it’s between you and God. Another friend of mine has this analogy of “being set apart.” She says, “if I can’t tell you apart from the drunk man sitting at the bar, then how has Jesus changed your life?” I think you get the point. I know that none of us are perfect. That's why God sent Jesus. I personally, don’t think we will ever be perfect like Jesus, as long as we are living in this world and in the flesh. But, we should want to try our best, right?

Reading this passage truly convicted me and made me stop and search within myself, and ask myself, how much do I desire to know God, and do I love Him so much, that I want to live a life pleasing to Him?” I hope that when God looks down on me He sees a woman after his own heart. How awesome it would be for God to say those words, “Now that’s a woman after my own heart!”

Psalm 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.