A Man After God's Own Heart

I've been a bit harsh on David recently (see these posts: Web of Sin, David Does Right Too Late), but when it comes down to it, David is the only man in the Bible who is called "a man after God's own heart." How could someone who has messed up so badly have that title? There are several reasons, but the main one is that David had a relationship with God and did not seek good except in God (Psalm 16:2), usually. David had glaring weaknesses and stumbled because of them, but he knew when he was wrong and he was quick to repent (2 Samuel 12:13).

This should be encouraging. You can still have God's heart without perfection as prerequisite. We sin and fall short of the glory of God, but in faith our heart can be made right. We find confidence in this because of David's Greater Son who had the actual heart of God and willingly sacrificed himself to become our propitiation.

You and I can be a person after God's own heart if we are in Christ. As we are conformed to his image, our hearts can surpass that of David's because Christ dwells in our heart. We not only have a heart after God's, but God will dwell in our heart.

    For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
    Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV)

And oh do I pray for this heart, for faith. Why? To be filled with all the fullness of God.