David: A Man After God’s Own Heart part 2
Following on from our previous post: David: A Man After God’s Own Heart, this post introduces the remaining talks in the series. Click on the title of each talk.
“And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14 ESV)
The verse above was the starting point for a series David: A Man After God’s Own Heart introduced by Rob who asked us about the condition of our hearts as we come out of lockdown, as we return to some kind of normality – is it good? Is your heart a beautiful place to be? That’s what this series has been about.
Worship
Tom asked how is our heart for worship? Are we seeking God’s presence or are we more concerned with the practice of worship? He looked at David’s actions with regard to bringing the ark to Jerusalem.
Failure
Rob looked at the story of David and Bathsheba. David is in the wrong place at the wrong time and does the wrong thing. He pointed out that David did not maintain his heart as he got older. David minimises the situation until he is challenged by Nathan. Rob asked: How is your heart when things go wrong – when you do wrong?
Conflict
None of us really like to deal with conflict but it is necessary to set clear boundaries and deal with problems as they arise. Rob showed us how David’s lack of leadership within his own family led to the situation between him and Absalom. How is your heart when it comes to resolving conflict?
Mission
Paul talked about David’s heart whilst in hiding. He was still pursuing God’s call as an unlikely leader at the cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22:1-5). David discipled the men that gathered round him creating the stuff of legend – a band of brothers (2 Sam 23:8-39). Paul talked passionately about our mission to become disciples who make disciples who make disciples.
Legacy
The series ended with a reminder of Becky’s call to build not for pride but legacy. Mark talked about handing on to the next generation. He looked at the legacy David left for Solomon whose heart mirrored David’s as a young man.
Repeatedly through the series the challenge has been given to take a look at our hearts. The call is for our hearts to be aligned to God’s priorities and reflect His heart in every area of our lives and experience. God is still seeking people who are ‘after God’s heart’.
So, how is your heart?
