“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” Acts 13:22
I am reading in both 1 Samuel and Acts these days, specifically about David, whom God called a man after His own heart. I don’t know about you, but every single time I read one of those verses where God says David is a man after His own heart, I feel my own heart reaching out in yearning. It is instantly the cry of my own soul, Please, God, make me a woman after your own heart. Say that about me too.
What a wonderful thing that would be, wouldn’t it? To know God looks at you and says, “Now there is a woman after my own heart” or “There is a man after my own heart.” And you know the most miraculous thing about it? David wasn’t perfect. He wasn’t the first Jesus or anything – he made so many mistakes. Yet, his heart longed for God, followed God, was pure enough that God could still look at him, and say, Yes. He is a man after My own heart.
I don’t have to be perfect. I just have to want to be perfect. To want and aim to follow the path of righteousness. To learn and follow His commandments. To strive to be a woman after His own heart. Yes, God wants us to strive for perfection but He doesn’t demand it before loving us. He doesn’t look at us and say, no, you cannot possibly be someone after my own heart until you achieve it. He sees our attempts, our prayers, and yearnings, our striving. And it is good.
Praise God for His goodness, his perfection. His patience. And make me a woman after Your own heart.
“And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which he Lord commanded thee.” 1 Samuel 13:13-14
Forest Idylls 