Today I was thinking about a writing I once did on hearts that beat with Gods. As I thought about this study, a scripture came to mind about King David. It is found in Acts 13:22. In the Message Bible it says; I’ve searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He’s a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.’
Obviously obedience is way to touch the heart of God and cause your heart to beat with His. He called David a man after His heart, a man whose heart beats in alignment with His heart, this has always been an amazing statement to me.
I have heard it taught that David was a man after God’s heart because He worshipped Him. I have heard it was because He wanted to build God a house. I have heard many things but as I was studying today I came across something else David did that obviously touched the heart of God.
In 1 Samuel 24 we see that God has told David that He would deliver his enemy into his hand and David was free to do with him whatever he chose. God was bringing Saul across David’s path and Saul’s future was in the hands of David. Most of us would love to hear God say ‘I am bringing your enemy before you, do whatever you want to him, you have my permission, it is entirely up to you.’ And most would take advantage of that opportunity and remove that enemy from our midst. But what did David do?
When God brought David’s enemy across his path, David cut a piece of fabric off his skirt, I would imagine in pride saying ‘I could have taken you out at any moment.’ However, the bible says that even that act caused David great remorse and he regretted it. David said in his heart that he could not touch God’s anointed. Now, keep in mind, the anointing had departed from Saul, yet David knew he was once chosen by God, anointed by God and he refused to touch him. David had an opportunity to take out the one person the enemy was using against him but he refused – he refused to take the opportunity given.
God gave David an opportunity and David took the high ground. He touched the heart of God and God called Him a man after His heart, a man whose heart beat the same as His. How many times could God have judged one of us, taken us out because we refused to obey His way, yet He showed mercy and forgiveness and extended His grace and love to us – just as David did with Saul that day – His heart beat the same as God’s.
In thinking of this opportunity given I think about the many times that good Christian folk will be given an opportunity to talk about someone who was once God’s anointed, they have the opportunity to destroy them with words – do they take that opportunity or do they do like David and take the high road? Sadly many feel like God has given them the opportunity and it is their duty to take them out – that is NOT the heart of God. God always extends mercy, forgiveness and love and I thank God He does, because I need it personally on a daily basis.
This has caused me to re-evaluate times that are opportunities given – to not see them as I once would have – but to see them as an opportunity to allow my heart to beat as God’s would, a time to show mercy, love and forgiveness – a time to be called a woman after the heart of God. That’s my hearts cry – how about you? Be careful of opportunities given, they may be given by God, but He is still watching how you will handle it – take the high road…every time, allow your heart to beat as His.
