A Young Man After God’s Own Heart

What are the marks of a man after God’s own heart? And how can you and I develop those awesome marks in our lives? As we get ready to discover more answers to that big question, I must warn you in advance: These characteristics are not easily attained. That’s why they are not normally found in the average guy. No, these are extreme marks that set an exceptional man—young or old—apart from the crowd. But this is exactly the kind of unique man God is looking for:

Do you desire to be one of these “few good men”? One of the marked few? One of a rare band of men who makes a difference in the world? Then let’s go! We’ve already examined two marks of such a man: a heart that obeys God and a heart that prays. Now let’s look at some other vitally important marks for the man who’s committed to the extreme adventure of following after God.

What usually comes to your mind when you think about David? If you’re like me, you tend to think about David’s “macho” achievements:

There’s no doubt David was a man’s man, a leader’s leader, and a warrior’s warrior.

And yet David was a man with a tender heart toward God. David may not have always done what was right, but God was never far from his thoughts. He knew the “secret” of his success…and it was God! On one occasion David came before the Lord in utter amazement, marveling at God’s blessing, wondering, “Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (2 Samuel 7:18). David couldn’t believe God’s goodness, and he couldn’t help but break forth in praise.

And there’s more! As you read these additional words from David’s heart of praise, think about how God has blessed you. You have been saved by a gracious God. You have the Spirit of God living in you to guide, direct, and protect you. I don’t know anything about your family, but I would imagine that you have parents who love you and provide for your needs. So obviously you have much to praise God for. And even if a few things are “missing” in your life, praise God anyway. Your loving and all-knowing God knows who you are, where you are, and what you need. And He’s promised to take care of you (Psalm 23:1). So…praise Him boldly and frequently! And David shows us how:

I will give thanks to the LORD…and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High (Psalm 7:17).

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1).

David sets a good example for us, doesn’t he? He shows us that a real man after God’s own heart is a man who is not afraid to express his love for God. Wherever David was, he worshiped his God through praise.

So you, too, as a man who loves God, should not hesitate in the least to praise Him. Whether you are walking with your friends, working on a project, doing schoolwork, or relaxing at home with your family, you as God’s man should want to continually offer up praise to God (Hebrews 13:15).

Meditate on God’s power—I rarely go through a day without thinking about Paul’s take on God’s strength: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Do you have a problem today—a challenge you’re facing, a problem at school that you must resolve, an issue at home or with a friend? Then help yourself to God’s power! It’s available to you, as promised through this one mighty truth. Remembering His power generates gratitude for God…which should result in praise.

Memorize psalms of praise—I love Psalm 118:24: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” That’s a real “attitude lifter,” so to speak. As I square off with each new day and its challenges, this one verse that I’ve memorized helps to put a fresh spin on the day! Try it. Use it. And memorize it yourself. God’s Word transforms each new day—no matter how difficult your tasks or your situation—into something praiseworthy.

Master God’s promises—Estimates on the number of promises in the Bible vary from 7,487 to 30,000.⁵ I urge you to pick one. Any one! I look to the promises of God zillions of times during each day to help me—promises such as this one: “Praise be to the LORD, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19). I find this promise encouraging to me when I’m burdened by a lot of work or by a book deadline. Perhaps you’ve found yourself burdened by schoolwork, friendship problems, or a busy schedule. Friend, help yourself to this promise and see what happens to your burdens. You’ll experience freedom and renewed confidence and strength. And then you’ll want to praise God like the psalmist did.

Marvel over God’s provisions—Paul boldly declared, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). What a wonderful God you have—He promises to provide for all your needs! So you have even more reasons to praise Him.

Mull over the fact of God’s presence—David never ceased to be amazed about the fact God was with him everywhere he went. He expressed his awe with these words: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). Can’t you almost sense exclamation marks after these thoughts? The answer to each of David’s rhetorical questions is an obvious “Nowhere!” Think about it: It doesn’t matter where you go—God is there. It doesn’t matter what’s happening along the way or when you get there—God is with you all the way.

Knowing that God is with you everywhere and all the time should make a extreme difference in your outlook on life. David’s understanding of God’s presence inspired him to declare, “I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8). Now, that’s confidence!

Magnify the Lord for His protection—King Saul, who sat on Israel’s throne before David became king, repeatedly tried to kill David. So, for much of his young adulthood, David had to be extra careful. Sometimes he even had to flee from town because of Saul’s death threats. Yet in the midst of those life-threatening circumstances, David affirmed, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). Whenever you are afraid, peace is yours when you remember that you are under God’s protective hand.

Friend, as you remember the presence of God and praise Him for His power, His promises, His provision, and His protection, you will be strengthened and encouraged to face whatever life brings your way. So, just for today, put Psalm 34:1 into practice: “His praise will always be on my lips.” It will revolutionize your attitude.

David was a man of extreme passion, a true man after God’s own heart. He loved God. He loved God’s Word. He loved praying to God. And he loved praising God. And he had still another profound passion: going to “the house of the LORD.” In fact, he longed to worship God. His heart cried out,

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).

Friend, you, like David, should want to worship, to go to church, to be with God’s people. It’s a natural response for anyone who loves the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). Weekly worship should be the highlight of all your activities throughout any week. You should look forward to the worship service at your church with anticipation. Think about it—when you go to church, you…

• leave the world for a few hours and participate in something that is 100 percent pure and good

And think about this: Your commitment to worship serves as an example to others. When you go to church, your commitment to Christ shows. It’s right out there for everyone to see. Your friends and family witness your devotion to God. If your commitment to worshiping God with other believers is real, people will see it and be influenced by it.

Being a man of the Word, a man of prayer, and a man of praise and worship may not seem too exciting or too admirable, but God says it is. And now here’s another mark of a man after God’s own heart that may not seem to be very manly or very macho—a heart that serves.

Possessing a heart that serves is another distinctive of the great men of God. There has never been a greater man than Jesus Christ. And guess what? He came to earth as a servant: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). And guess what else? You and I, as men who are following after the heart of God, are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps (1 Peter 2:21), the footsteps of servanthood.

One day I met with a man with a heart to serve. He looked like he could have played linebacker for a pro football team. As we had lunch together, I noticed my new friend didn’t eat much of his food. Instead, he talked on and on about how he loved to serve the people at his church. He was so enthusiastic that he gestured a lot as he spoke, and I almost got a little embarrassed because we were in a packed restaurant.

Nothing could keep this man’s excitement down as he continued to tell me of his passion for serving God and His people. He constantly looked for opportunities throughout the week to serve the needs of fellow church members, and on Sunday he couldn’t wait to get to church so he could continue his ministry of service.

This man’s zeal for service may seem excessive or abnormal at first glance because of the “me” oriented society we live in. But his extreme desire to serve is Christlike. It’s godly. As I said, it’s another mark of a man after God’s heart—a heart that yearns to serve.

As fleshly humans, our natural (and selfish) tendency is to take care of our own needs first. We like to make sure we have plenty of time for what we want to do. Then if we have any time or energy left over, we just might be willing to use it to serve someone else…maybe.

But as men after God’s own heart, you and I need to make ourselves available as God’s servants…like these men in the Bible:

• Joshua was called “the servant of the LORD” at his death (Joshua 24:29).

• Godly men were chosen by the church in Jerusalem to serve and help meet the needs of the widows (Acts 6:1-6).

As you can see, service to God and His people is not an insignificant task. This is a mark of a man after God’s own heart.

The slogan of the U.S. Marines is that they are looking for “A Few Good Men.” Why a few? Maybe it’s because they have learned from combat experience that a few “good men” are better that lots of “uncommitted men.”

The Lord is looking for “a few good men” for Himself. But as we said at the beginning of the chapter, “good men” are hard to find. I hope that as you’ve read along, you have made the commitment to be one of God’s “marked men”—one of His “few good men.”

So with this commitment on your heart and in your mind, let’s join together, as God’s band of brothers, and make this prayer our commitment to be “marked men” for Jesus Christ—to be bold, to live bold, to stand out, speak out, and live out our loyalty to Christ:

Lord, I pray that as others look at my life, they would see the life of Jesus shining forth through me. Work in my life. Make me one of your “marked men.” May others who see these marks want to follow You as well. I pray that I will…

Tough Decisions for Today

How bold are you at offering up praise to God in public? Why or why not?

How can you turn up the heat on your commitment to your church? On your attitude toward church, the people there, and your service? What specific area of service can you commit to?

In the past, how have you viewed the role of a servant? Has this changed after learning about this mark of a man after God’s own heart? Name one act of service that you can perform today to your family. To one of your friends. To an enemy.

The Cutting Edge

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

—2 TIMOTHY 2:15

Read Philippians 2:3-8. What is the theme of these verses?

Whose life is described in these verses?

What did He do? List at least three facts.

What changes will you make in your life—and heart—so that you can cultivate a servant’s heart? List at least three.

How do these verses encourage you to worship and praise Jesus Christ?

What do verses 10 and 11 say about the worship and praise of Jesus Christ?

Read Acts 6:1-6. In a few words, describe the problem.

What was the solution?

What were the qualifications of the men to be selected—men who were men after God’s own heart (verse 3)?

What is your attitude toward routine service?

How do Philippians 2:3-8 and Acts 6:1-6 help you to better understand your role as a servant?