AFTER GOD’S HEART

By, Pastor Betty Moede

“And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the Son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And after He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom who He testified and said, ‘I have found David the Son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’” (Acts 13:21-22)

Israel had insisted on a king. They had confronted Saul and refused to hear what God had said to them. We are often moved by our limited vision and wisdom. We insist that we must know better when God has noting but our best interests at heart. (! Samuel 8:19-20). Saul was a strong, handsome young man. He came from a good family. He was obedient to his father and Saul was trusted with family matters by him. By all outward appearances, he had everything going for him. (1 Samuel 9:2)

We can see in 1 Samuel 15:10-14, that Saul started out with humility. As time went on, he began to take the victories God had given him to himself. Finally, he was told to completely destroy the nations on the Amalekites. Saul returned with “a sacrifice” for the lord. He put his own interpretation into the command God. There is a lot pf presumption in this, but have we not done the same thing at times? When we are uncomfortable with something, we often either decide ‘that couldn’t have been the Lord’, or ‘I just can’t do something like that’.

Saul would continue in his rebellion, wavering between a sense of repentance and full blown disobedience. As Saul fell in battle with the Philistines, he fell on his spear but failed to kill himself. (2 Samuel 1:6-10)

Saul was killed by a man who should not have been alive. God knew that the Amalekites had to be destroyed to preserve Israel. When God tells you to get something out of your life, do it. He’s not trying to take away your enjoyment. He cares for you more that we understand. If we rebel against his commands we will pay the price. The things we choose will only come between us and God. There is nothing in this world that God can not replace with something more precious and more wonderful if we will let Him. There is nothing good He would with hold from you when you are ready for it.

David succeeded where Saul failed by keeping his heart in line with God. Did David fall? Yes, at times. Bur his repentance was total and he kept no part of his rebellion from God. He laid his heart completely, good and bad, before God. Psalm 139 is an example of such a heart. Read it through and keep your heart after God’s own heart.