Having The Heart of God

The Bible says that King David was a man after God's own heart.  What does that mean?  When we are talking about our kids and we say, "That boy right there is a boy after my own heart," this means more than that boy loves his daddy.  It means that he likes the things his daddy likes.  He tends to think like his daddy, favor his daddy's likes and wishes.   There are times when you can have a child and they are nothing like you.  I knew a man that was a red neck but his son liked to wear dress clothes.  His son liked to dress up since he was just a little boy.  He loved his son, but to say that he is a son after his own heart would just be wishful thinking.  When God said, "David is a man after my own heart,"  he was saying that David tend to think, act, like and desire the same things as God did. 

Does God ask us to have a heart after his own heart?  Well, he at least expects us to have a heart that is not FAR FROM HIM.  What  would be a heart that is far from God?  It would be a heart that likes the things that God hates.  It would be a heart that has desires that God despises.  It would mean that your heart does not go after the same things that God desires.

Matthew 15:8-9 

8These people draw near unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

What does God desire?  We can't look at EVERYTHING that God desires in this one blog, but we will look at ONE thing that God desires of us. 

 

Hosea 6:6  6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

 

God is not willing that anyone should perish.  Jesus said in John 3:17   

17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  If Jesus didn't come to condemn, why are we so quick to condemn.  God wants us to  be merciful and teach the knowledge of God, but we are so quick to demand sacrifice and offerings.  What are you giving and taking from others?   Are you a giver?  Do you give mercy and knowledge, or do you require sacrifice and offerings from other.  God says we come to him and speak his name, but our hearts are far from him because we are takers instead of givers.  God is a giver, he is not a taker.  If our heart is a heart after God's own heart, we will be givers and not takers. 

 

If you have despitefully used your parents, your spouse, your friend, or anyone else and been a taker instead of a giver realize that God is watching what you do.  Maybe they let you behave like this, but God is watching you being a taker on the earth instead of a giver. 

 

Of course you can give a sacrifice or an offering to offering, but God would prefer mercy and knowledge.   We spend a lot of time sacrificing for our kids and buying them things and walking away, when it would be better to sit down and share our knowledge with them and show them the mercy of God.  Of course we are to bring things to God, but, what we give, even for the least person here on earth, we have done for Jesus.   If  you have been a taker instead of a giver, ask God to change your heart, to  make your heart a heart after his own heart.

 

 

When we fail to give mercy to others and we refuse to walk in knowledge, and we offer up sacrifices of praise to God and offering of gifts to  both God and people because we are abusive, and we are trying to 'make up for our bad behavior'...we have a mouth that draws near to God, but our heart is far from him.