The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them.
Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Why haven’t you obeyed the LORD?
That sounds like a simple question and yet we all have to scratch our heads and ask the same question of ourselves. Or maybe you have somebody that will ask you the hard questions, somebody that will keep you accountable before God, church attendance would probably drop if the pastor walked around confronting people like Samuel confronted Saul.
God wanted obedience from King Saul but instead he did his own thing and then when he was caught in his lies by Samuel the priest he was never repentant. Samuel was sent to anoint a new man to be king a man that has a heart for God.
The man for the job was David, the least of his brothers, he was looked down upon as a shepherd, he was from a small town, there wasn’t much going for him from a human perspective. But God doesn’t look at what we look at, God sees the real person without any spin or propaganda, he takes a look at the inner man. Look at what David told his son Solomon when he was passing on the crown:
1 Chronicles 28:9 "And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
The Lord sees every heart, he has supernatural vision, the kind that looks deep inside and sees beyond the walls and deception that we throw up to impress each other. Man may be impressed by looking at that but just remember it wont last, eventually what is in your heart is going to leak out.
It may seem scary to think that God’s eyes see deep inside to the heart of a man, but thankfully he does, because while other men are busy looking at my exterior God is looking at the desires of my heart. When I do slip up he knows the attitude and the intent of my heart and that I desire to please him.
Create in me a clean heart
David was bold enough to ask God to purify the sinful heart that we are born with and to get rid of all the impurities that hamper our relationship with God.
Psalms 19:12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Psalms 26:2 Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.
Create in me a loyal heart
David told Solomon to “Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind.” The whole heart, nothing less, God wants your loyalty.
Psalms 103:1 Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
David wasn’t perfect but he truly desired to be God’s man, a man that could lead his country with integrity and faithfulness. We all know of David’s failures but despite those failures the Lord still knew that David’s heart truly desired to do what God asked him to do.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
I will strive to know God and to know what he wants me to do. What a huge compliment to David that God said that he was a man after his own heart. Meditating on his word everyday will be a big help toward creating a pure heart.
Give us men in our church Lord that have a heart for you. Help me to always strive to keep my heart pure so that I will please you.
