After God's Heart

It’s possible to take a child to music lessons to learn an instrument, but whether or not they become proficient depends on more than just taking them to the lessons. From the teacher, they should be enabled to develop playing skills, but this will only succeed if something more than just information is received. The teacher is in a position to instruct the playing of an instrument because they have a heart for it that has driven them to devote countless hours to a specific practice regimen. It’s not just the knowledge of playing but the passion for it that makes it possible to make progress. It’s the student that has a heart after the teacher’s that ends up doing what the teacher instructs. The teacher may be very skilled and passionate about their musical expression, but until the student has a heart after theirs, there may be some techniques shown, but very little music will result. It will be very clear which students are after their instructor’s heart by how they develop their playing skills. Just claiming to love and appreciate the teacher will be empty and meaningless apart from emulating their heart’s expression.

There’s a difference between professing to love and appreciate God’s provision of life in Christ and actually having a heart after His. Jesus indicated that loving Him is equated with doing what He says, emulating the passions of His heart. What set David apart in His relationship with God wasn’t just what he did but his pursuit of God’s heart in everything that he did. Apart from his great transgression with Uriah, God Himself indicated that David’s heart was after His own in everything he did. Anyone can claim to have a heart for God, but how wonderful it must be for David that God said this of him. As the heart is where all developed abilities and faith originate, it would be wise to pursue not just the do’s and don’ts of God’s will but to be after what drives God, His passions, and His very heart. Without a heart after His, there can be no proficiency in sounding or looking like Him. Where, however, the heart is after His, all things will be possible, as His heart will be known and emulated in actions and faith – beautiful, heavenly music.

Notes

When the heart is after, actions verify.

Acts 13:22 (NLT) 22 But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

The heart that is after God is known by what it chooses to do.

Provision and promotion missed/given to others

1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT) 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”

Favor to descendants

2 Chronicles 22:9 (NLT) 9 Then Jehu’s men searched for Ahaziah, and they found him hiding in the city of Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, who killed him. Ahaziah was given a decent burial because the people said, “He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat—a man who sought the LORD with all his heart.” But none of the surviving members of Ahaziah’s family was capable of ruling the kingdom.

The condition of the heart is critical for all aspects of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (AMPC) 23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

How to have a heart after God?

Take delight in Him.

Psalms 37:4 (NLT) 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

From God’s heart is shown the way to delight.

Psalms 32:7 (TLB) 7 You are my hiding place from every storm of life; you even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory.

Create and release heart expressions in song. God playlists produce God delight.

Psalms 57:7-11 (TLB) 7 O God, my heart is quiet and confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! 8 Rouse yourself, my soul! Arise, O harp and lyre! Let us greet the dawn with song! 9 I will thank you publicly throughout the land. I will sing your praises among the nations. 10 Your kindness and love are as vast as the heavens. Your faithfulness is higher than the skies. 11 Yes, be exalted, O God, above the heavens. May your glory shine throughout the earth.

His heart looks past the outward.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Delighting in Him is wrapping His will around the heart.

Psalms 40:8 (TLB) 8 And I delight to do your will, my God, for your law is written upon my heart!”

Develop an immediate response to His will over circumstances.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

The heart that is after obeys out of love.

John 14:23 (TPT) 23 Jesus replied, “Loving me empowers you to obey my word. And my Father will love you so deeply that we will come to you and make you our dwelling place.

Will remain plutonic/powerless till the heart is after His.

John 21:17 (TLB) 17 Once more he asked him, “Simon, son of John, are you even my friend?” Peter was grieved at the way Jesus asked the question this third time. “Lord, you know my heart; you know I am,” he said. Jesus said, “Then feed my little sheep.