Year of the Bible: Part Five of Twelve Paraugs

A Heart for God

The jealous King Saul and 3,000 soldiers hunted for David in the wilderness. Fleeing to the top of a rocky mountainside, David and his warriors ducked into a cave. Then, just as Saul had all the momentum, he needed a moment alone. It was no coincidence that he chose to enter the very same cave David was hiding in.

In the cave, Saul was vulnerable and didn’t notice that David and his men were there. Think of this situation with anyone else but David: Your enemy is before you, and the people closest to you encourage you to take revenge. How would you act without a heart for God? Scripture clearly says that David was a man after God’s own heart, and his actions in this situation validate that claim.

David prioritized the Lord’s principles. He recalled Scripture and knew vengeance was not his but the Lord’s. Ignoring the influence of his friends, he refused to kill Saul because of God’s anointing. David honored God’s act of anointing more than the person anointed. David sliced off a piece of Saul’s robe without him noticing and proved that he could have killed Saul but chose not to. He knew not to repay evil with evil.

From this situation, we see humility and submission, not from Saul but from David. David prioritized God as he was humbled and submitted to the Lord. This was a great representation of what God desired for His people, and David’s faith served as an example to Saul.

A heart for God will always point to Jesus, who relied on God the Father and prioritized His principles and purposes. As David recalled Scripture, so did Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus was badly beaten before He was crucified, and He also knew not to pay evil with evil. After David’s situation in the cave, he wrote a worship song (Psalm 57) regarding his faith and emotions during it all. In that Psalm, we realize the fear, faith, and confidence in David’s heart for God. Jesus doesn’t just have the heart of God but loves you with all His heart and desires for you to have a heart for God.

Question: Would you consider your heart a heart for God? If so, how does your heart for God respond toward those who present themselves as your enemies?

Prayer: The only way to assess your heart is by asking the Lord to reveal your heart to you. As He does, pray that He embrace and comfort you through it all as He enriches your hope in Him.

Special Assignment: Pay attention to the moments when you think someone is "against" you. Invite God to teach you a new way of responding. Journal about your experiences and how you handled things differently than you would have otherwise.