One of my favorite Bible characters is King David. The Old Testament reveals David’s walk with the Lord as one that was more than extraordinary. I often find myself “taken aback” by his passion for God and his divinely inspired ability to express what’s in his heart. It’s a passion that could have only been born out of intense personal relationship with God made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit.

David was just a young Sheppard boy, when God sent the prophet to anoint him. It is in 1st Samuel 16 that we find the prophet Samuel with David’s family - his God given instructions were to: anoint the son that God would show him. As each of David’s brothers passed before him, it became apparent that God’s chosen vessel was not among them. It’s somewhat surprising that even Samuel, one of the greatest prophets Israel had ever known, did not have the ability to discern God’s choice without God’s guidance. When Samuel saw Eliab, David’s older brother in 1st Samuel 16:6 he remarked: “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me.” God’s response was:

“Look not on his countenance or on the outward appearance for the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance. But the Lord looketh at the heart.”

Samuel later discovered that David’s father Jesse had one more son, his youngest who was busy keeping the sheep. When David appears the Lord prompts Samuel to anoint him…“arise anoint him: for this is he.”

Isn’t it something how we as humans get hung up on external things like what someone looks like on the outside? We spend an incredible amount of time and money trying to alter, fix-up and re-do aspects of our own physical appearance and a lot less time trying to develop Godly attributes and character! God’s focus goes beyond the superficial to what’s on the inside, what’s hidden from view, the intangible substance that determines our pliability in His hands. The scriptures reveal in 1st Samuel 13:14, that David was chosen to be King because he was “a man after God’s own heart.” Having a heart that is like Gods should be every Christian’s desire. “Create in me a clean heart O God” is David’s plea in Psalm 51. His petition shows us that making our heart what it should be is not a duty assigned to us, but to God as a loving Father.

Is your desire to have a heart that is pleasing to God? Why don’t go to Him in prayer and ask that He fashion your heart to be like His?

Prayer Focus: Give me a clean heart O God; please make my heart like yours!

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4