Scripture

“He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ ”
(Acts 13:22)

Devotional

There can be no greater testimony given than this: A man or woman after God’s own heart. David was Israel’s greatest king, a young shepherd who through obedience and a repentant heart rose to such prominence. I do not believe that God has stopped looking for such to give this testimony. God is not looking for perfection in man; He has already found that in His Son. He is looking for a people who, like David, are willing to humble themselves and serve. God is looking for those who unashamedly worship Him, as David worshipped Him. He is looking for someone who is quick to confess his or her sin and turn from that sin, as David turned from his. He is not necessarily looking for a new king or great warrior. He is looking for an obedient shepherd who is willing to submit to authority and face life’s giants. God is looking for a man after His own heart.

Thought For The Night

“What does it profit you to give God one thing if he asks of you another? Consider what it is God wants, and then do it. You will as a result better satisfy your heart than with that toward which you yourself are inclined.” Discipleship Journal (issue 109), p.98; source: The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (Washington D.C.: ICS Publications, 1979)

Evening Text

Acts 13:22: “He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”

Looking for Answers

How would you define the heart of God?
What was in David that caused him to have such a heart?
Do you desire to have such a heart?

Evening Study Guide

Defining: “A man after My own heart,” our text defines such a man as one, “who will do all My will.”

Referencing: “The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart,” 1 Samuel 13:14.

Applying: To be a man or woman after God’s own heart: practice repentance, praise, thanksgiving and obedience.