2024_03_29 Insight Post- Yayo Espinosa

- March 29, 2024

In this reading, we explored the beginning life of David, also known as King David, the second King of Israel. David is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. We can learn a lot from David’s life. Scripture says: “He was a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:13-14; Acts 13:22)! For many years, I heard this statement over and over again but never understood what “A Man After God’s Own Heart” meant. What does this mean, and how can I become a man after God’s heart? Let’s answer this question. First, we need to see what qualifications David had to receive this title. To find the list, we need to go to Acts 13:22 (NIV):

“After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'”

David did whatever God wanted him to do. That’s the qualification; that’s the answer to becoming a man after God’s own heart. We need to surrender to God and do His will in our lives. David’s life gives us guidelines for becoming men or women after God’s own heart. David had good and bad times in his life, and the Bible shows that he wasn’t always perfect. The thing that set David apart was his devotion to God. He wanted to do everything God wanted him to do and follow God’s will. This made him a man after God’s own heart. Let’s look at one characteristic of David’s life to find out what that looks like.

FAITH
David had complete trust in the Lord. 1 Samuel 17 shows a battle no Israelite wanted to fight, not even King Saul, the king of that time. But David was unafraid, fighting the giant Goliath and defeating him with a slingshot and a rock. David showed his faith by saying,

“The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:37 (NIV)

David was a man after God’s own heart because he was faithful and committed to following Him.

INSIGHT
There have been moments when I want to give up and lose hope. The story of David reminds me that God has everything under control and has a plan. As I think of David’s life, I know I will face my own giants in my journey, but just like David, I have to remind myself that I am not alone and God has already WON the battle. I need to put all of my trust in him. I need to focus on becoming more after God’s own heart and let God fight my battles.

THINK ABOUT THIS
What would happen if you and I strived to be men and women after God’s own heart? How would that affect our daily lives? I believe that making this our daily goal would get us closer to becoming more like David, a man after God’s own heart. We need to surrender completely to God, trust Him, and be willing to do whatever He wants us to do. Even in our mistakes, falls, and sins, we need to return to God with a repentant heart and continue becoming men and women after God’s heart.

Yayo Espinosa
Associate Pastor