A Young Man After God’s Own Heart

I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.

When I was 12 years old, my parents and I went on our one and only family vacation. Leaving from my boyhood home in Oklahoma, we passed through Dodge City, Kansas, on our way to Colorado. Of course, we had to stop in this historic old-west town and visit the famous Boot Hill Cemetery—you know, the place where all the famous outlaws are buried.

To this day I can still remember looking down at a tombstone with a message something like this:

And, would you believe it, at the end of the grave were two boots sticking up out of the earth! Later I learned that “Old Joe” wasn’t actually buried there. And much later I found out that the words on a tombstone are called an epitaph, which means “a short tribute to a dead person.”

Since that unforgettable visit to Boot Hill, I’ve collected a few other epitaphs. For instance, a Greek poet wrote this on the tomb of Spartan heroes in the fifth century B.C.:

Because I have a science degree from college, I like what was written about a scientist who died at the age of 85:

All of these epitaphs were written by someone who knew the dead person. Benjamin Franklin, however, the famous American statesman, wrote his own tribute:

To me, the epitaph that is the most inspiring of all is one found in the Bible. It’s a tribute to King David, one of the most famous people in the Old Testament. Of him God writes,

I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do (Acts 13:22).

The life of David is a fascinating character study. David lived a life of extreme adventure. As a young man, probably about your age, he killed the giant Goliath. He once protected his father’s sheep by killing a lion, and on another occasion, by killing a bear. His story is one of the great “rags to riches” accounts. David started out a shepherd boy...and ended up as a king. He became a great warrior and turned the tiny nation of Israel into a powerful kingdom that ruled most of the Middle East during the tenth century B.C.

But David’s greatest claim to fame is God’s epitaph, “I have found David…a man after my own heart.”

I don’t know about you, but I find this tribute curious. In it, God is stating His approval of David’s heart and life. That is interesting because David’s actions were not always godly! For instance...

• David sinned with a woman named Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:4) and then ordered her husband to be put into a dangerous battle position so he would be killed (2 Samuel 11:5-17).

• David was a neglectful father, and his family suffered strife and tragedy as a result (2 Samuel 13:15-18,28-29; 18:33).

• David went against God’s command and pridefully counted the number of his troops. The result? Seventy thousand of his people died in a plague (2 Samuel 24:10,15).

And yet God states, “I have found David…a man after my own heart.” How can that be? How could God possibly praise a man with this kind of background?

Yes, David committed some sins that most of us can’t even imagine or conceive of doing! Yet over the long haul, David wanted to be righteous. He loved God, and his heart’s desire was to do God’s will.

And do you know what? This is the kind of man God looks for today, too! God doesn’t expect perfection. (We can sure see that from David’s life!) However, in spite of all that David had done wrong in his life, God could still look at David’s heart and say he was a man after His own heart—a man who desired to do God’s will.

This, my friend, is the grace of God. There can be no other explanation! By his actions, David didn’t deserve God’s blessings. But in his heart, David had the right desire. He longed to follow and please God, even though at times he stumbled and fell.

That brings me to an important question: Do you want to be a man after God’s own heart? Or, put another way, is your heart’s desire to follow after God?

You may think that’s impossible. And if you do, you’re not alone. If you’re like me, you have a tendency to take three steps forward—then two steps back—in your spiritual walk with God. You may think that being a man after God’s own heart is too high a goal. You may assume that it’s not possible because of some of your past actions.

But you must never forget this: Where did God look? He looked at David’s heart. And that’s where God is going to look in your life, too!

My adventurous beginning in the Christian life was a little rocky. As a young man I went to church regularly...but that was it. There wasn’t much depth to my faith. So when I went away to college, my heart desired many of the wrong things. I wanted a girlfriend, a neat car, plenty of money, lots of fun and friends, and I got them all...but then came my spiritual fall. I was a lot like the “lost son” in the story Jesus told in Luke 15, who…

…got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living…. When he came to his senses, he said, “…I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (verses 11-19).

Like this guy, I “came to my senses.” I realized I was starving to death spiritually. I, too, looked up and came back to my heavenly Father. And, like the father in the story who was “filled with compassion” (verse 20), God graciously received me back. And life has been an extreme adventure ever since!

God, in His great grace, does this for any man—young or old—who comes to Him. And God does this for those (like me) who come to their senses and turn back to Him. From that point on, life is never the same. It’s the ultimate adventure!

And now I’ve got a question for you. Have you drifted away from God? Do you ever feel like you are living in “a distant country” spiritually? Do you want to experience the powerful grace of God in your life? Well, if that is your desire, then read on!

In the chapters to come, this section will ask the tough questions about your heart, your life, and the type of adventure you are on. So let’s get serious here for a moment…and learn more about becoming a young man after God’s own heart:

Question #1—When God looks at your life, what does He look for? Well, praise God, He doesn’t look for perfection! Being a Christian is not about being perfect. In fact, the Bible says that there are no perfect men—no, not one (Romans 3:10)! Like David, and like me, every person—including you!—has sinned. Every person has disobeyed God. And it is that sin that separates us from God.

But now for the good news! The only perfect man who ever walked the face of the earth was Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. He was truly a man after God’s own heart. In every way and at all times, He did everything exactly as the Father wanted Him to. At Jesus’ baptism, God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

Because Jesus was perfect and never sinned, He was able to die for your sins and mine. He paid the penalty for sin, which is death. The Bible tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Because of what He did, we can be cleansed of sin.

Question #2—What does it mean to become a Christian? Briefly, becoming a Christian means…

Now hear this: Being a Christian doesn’t mean you won’t sin anymore. You will still sin, just like I do. But sin will stop being the regular pattern of your life. Why? Because as a Christian, you are a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And what happens when you do sin? The Holy Spirit, who lives in you, convicts you so you can repent of your sin and return to enjoying fellowship with God (Psalm 51:12).

Question #3—What is your heart’s desire? We’ve looked at David’s heart and his desire to follow God. We’ve also looked at how God worked in my heart. But now for the most important question: What about your heart? What is your heart’s desire? Think of about five words that describe what you want out of life. It would be great if, when God looks at your heart, He can say, “I have found you to be a man after My heart—a man who desires to do all My will”!

Question #4—Have you received Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life? Perhaps you have already taken this step of faith and received Christ as your Savior. If not, or if you aren’t sure, this is truly the First Step toward beginning the journey of becoming a man after God’s own heart. A prayer like this can help you take this most important step toward turning your life into an extreme adventure:

Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I want to repent of my sins and turn and follow You. I believe that You died for my sins and rose again, that You conquered the power of sin and death. I want to accept You as my personal Savior. Come into my life, Lord Jesus, and help me follow and obey You from this day forward. Amen.

Now, my friend, if you are a new Christian as of this moment, write down today’s date.

Next, is there a Christian you know who would be really excited to hear about your decision? Give that person a call right now!

If you are or have just become a Christian, this one final epitaph—found on an actual tombstone in England—could be just for you.

Tough Decisions for Today

What is your heart’s desire? What do you desire most in life? And what do your actions show? Your hobbies, your friends, your music—do they say loudly that you desire to follow after God’s own heart...or after your own heart? Jot down two or three changes you can make in your life.

Are you ready to turn your life into an extreme adventure—the adventure of following Jesus Christ? In light of what you’ve read in this chapter, list two or three qualities or steps you’ve learned are necessary to take when you follow Christ.

The Cutting Edge

Present yourself to God as one…who correctly handles the word of truth.

—2 TIMOTHY 2:15

Read Luke 15:11-31. What does this story teach…

…about the father?

…about the son?

…about the older brother?

…about admitting your mistakes?

…about forgiveness?

What is God’s message to your heart?

Read 1 Samuel 16-1-13. What was Samuel’s mission (verses 1-3)?

Describe Samuel’s response when he saw David’s brother, Eliab (verse 6).

In a few words, what did God say to Samuel (verse 7)?

Read Acts 13:22. Why did God choose David to be king?

What is God’s message to your heart?