King David is often spoken of as “A man after God’s own heart.” How beautiful is that, to be known as someone after the heart of God? This sentiment coupled with the multitude of Psalms shows the way that David pours out his heart using literally ALL THE FEELS would seem to support this statement. His outcries to the Lord are a gushing of intense emotions, with God mostly at the center of them all–except for the times when it’s all about David, but he usually manages to turn it back around in the end!
It would be easy to imitate King David and do what he did in terms of “loving” God through his feelings. I have done it many, many times and felt all the goosebumps. Yet, I missed the second part of this scripture that reveals what God requires of His beloved. In Acts 13:22 it is the Apostle Paul who mentions God raising up King David saying, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart…(wait for it…) who will do all My will.”
Oh, so he means to say that David was a man after God’s heart not because of the many glorious songs he sang nor the love he poured forth from his lips, but rather in the way that David would obey God?
1 Samuel 23:14 is the original mention of this, and it is when Samuel is telling King Saul that God would be taking his kingdom away and giving it to David because David would actually do what the Lord would command him, as King Saul did not.
God is looking for obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. Lord, in our pursuit of loving You, help us not forget the best expression of our love that pleases You most is our willingness to obey all You command of us.