Tag: Honesty

What made David a man after God’s own heart?

“21 But You, O God the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. 22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” Psalm 109:21-22

The Bible tells us that even though King David was an adulterer and a murderer, God still assessed his life “as a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). What was it about this man that led God to speak so highly of him? I believe part of the answer is found in Psalm 109.

In return for his love for them, a group of people caused great pain to King David by falsely accusing him (109:2-5, 20-25). Instead of getting even with those who had hurt him, David got honest with God and asked Him to severely judge his accusers (109:4-29).

David prayed, “But You, O God the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. (109:21-22). David is asking the Lord to “deal with” him in harmony with His “mercy” for the “sake” of God’s own reputation, not David’s. People might begin to question God’s mercy if He did not “deliver” David from this difficulty. David is more concerned about how the Lord is perceived in this situation than he is about his own welfare.

When people misrepresent us, are we more concerned about ourselves or how others may perceive God? A man after God’s own heart cares about God’s reputation more than his own. He wants to see God’s character exalted among the people, not misconstrued or misrepresented. David was willing to sacrifrice to see God glorified.

A second thing about David that makes him a man after God’s own heart is seen in the next verse. “For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me” (109:22). David appeals to his own brokenness and neediness before God as another reason for the Lord to deliver him. A man after God’s own heart is willing to be broken, open, and raw before the Lord.

David was not perfect by any means. But he was very honest and open before the Lord. And God was so impressed with David’s honesty and vulnerability in the Psalms that He refers to him as a man after His own heart.

Are we willing to admit our own brokenness and neediness before the Lord? God already knows our inner condition. We are not hiding anything from Him when we act tough on the outside. He knows where we are hurting and struggling. And He wants to soothe us with His mercy and grace. But for this to happen, we must be willing to face our brokenness and neediness. If you are like me, you may be pretending to have it all together on the outside as a way of protecting yourself. But God wants you to know that His mercy provides a safe and soothing place to begin the healing process. Will you embrace His mercy and let Him heal your brokenness? You won’t regret it.

Prayer: Merciful Father, thank You for showing me what it means to be a man after Your own heart. I want to be that kind of a man. I want to care more about Your reputation than my own. Please forgive me for thinking more of myself when I am misrepresented instead of thinking more of how if effects You. For the sake of Your own reputation, Lord, please have mercy upon me and deliver me from that which dishonors You. Help me to see You as a merciful Father before Whom I can be broken and honest about my own neediness. I have spent much of my life trying to protect myself from more pain. But now I come to you in childlike faith to soothe me and comfort me with Your grace. Being held in Your everlasting arms of mercy takes away all the tension and stress of trying to protect myself. Thank You that I am totally understood and accepted in Your presence because of the Lord Jesus Christ. In His name I thank You. Amen.

How does God want us to respond to His intimate concern for us?

“19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:19-24

How does God want us to respond to His intimate concern for us (by creating us and planning out our lives)?

1. By disassociating from evil (139:19-22). First David says, “Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men” (139:19). David uses very strong language here. He wants God to kill the wicked. Have you ever prayed this way to the Lord? David is giving his anger to God as he prays. He wants nothing to do with the wicked in view of God’s loyal love to him. The reason for this is given next. “For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain” (139:20). David was opposed to God’s enemies because they spoke against the Lord with wicked intent and for deceitful ends.

Then he writes, “Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies” (139:21-22). David affirms his loyalty to God by rejecting those who have rejected the Lord. We are to completely disassociate ourselves from those who reject God and rebel against Him as we consider that they are our enemies as well. For example, those who kill unborn children have rejected the Lord and His handiwork. We can disassociate from the evil they commit by supporting political candidates who respect and defend human life in the womb, and thereby show our loyalty to God.  Another way to show our loyalty to God is…

2. By being open to and led by Him (139:23-24). We need to be accountable to God because our hearts are self-deceived (cf. Jeremiah 17:9). We trick ourselves into calling evil good. David prays to God, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties” (139:23). Thus he ends this psalm like he began it—with a reference to God’s searching knowledge. David wanted God to “try” or test him, as a refiner tests metal, to show that he was loyal to the Lord. Since God knows all, he would know David’s anxious thoughts. Likewise, we are to ask God to examine our thoughts and motives which may not be thoroughly committed to Him.

Then David prays, “And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (139:24). David is asking the Lord to see if there is anything in him that is hurtful to the Lord. And if there is, he asks God to guide him in the right way. Have you prayed like this recently to the Lord? The more we understand God’s intimate love and concern for us, the more we will open our hearts to Him. He will not reject us nor condemn us for our struggles. He already knows all about them. He understands us better than we do, and He still loves and accepts us. Knowing this invites us to approach Him honestly and openly.

Prayer: Father God, the more I understand and believe Your intimate concern and love for me, the more I want to be loyal to You. You deserve my very best, not my leftovers. Forgive me for closing my heart off to You; for thinking that Your love and concern for me are imperfect like my own love and concern for You. The more I embrace You and Your outrageous love for me, the more I want to disassociate from evil and embrace what is right in Your eyes. Because You know everything about me, and still love and accept me, I come to You with an open heart right now asking You to show me if there is any area in my life that is not fully committed to You. If there is anything in me that is hurtful to You, please show me and guide me in the right way. I also want to pray for unborn children in the world right now. Please show their mothers that they are carrying a human being inside of them that is made in Your image. Direct these mothers to give birth to their children. Help those who are overwhelmed with their pregnancy to choose life and put their children up for adoption rather than destroy Your handiwork. Please bring Jesus’ peace and forgiveness to those who have already aborted their babies. May they find everlasting life and forgiveness through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Please bring an end to the slaughter of unborn children. I beg You, Lord, to forgive our nation’s sins, our church’s sins, and our own sins. Please lead us in Your everlasting way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Letting God’s light shine where darkness engulfs our brokenness

“6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice  the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:6-7

The apostle John is writing to Christians so they may have fellowship or closeness (1:3-4) with God Who “is light” (1:5a). Light provides a source of comfort and warmth. Light is necessary for growth. Light exposes what is hidden in the darkness but it also offers hope and guidance out of the darkness. John tells us “in Him [God] there is no darkness at all” (1:5b). There is nothing sinful or deceiving about God. He is pure and holy, loving and true, gracious and merciful. The more we see Him for who He truly is, the more open and honest we will be with Him.

One of the conditions for fellowship with God is to “walk in the light as” God “is in the light” (1:7). Notice John says to walk “in” the light, not “according” to the light. Walking “according” to the light would refer to sinless perfection as a condition for fellowship with God. But the preposition “in” refers to walking in the sphere of God’s light where there is no darkness or dishonesty. In other words, to have fellowship with God we must be open and honest with Him, not sinless, as we walk in the light with Him.

When I claim to be close to God (“have fellowship with Him”), but I am dishonest and distant from Him, I “lie and do not practice the truth” (1:6). But when I “walk in the light” where God is, being open and honest with Him, I have closeness (“fellowship”) with Him and other believers who are in fellowship with Him. And “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses” me “from all sin” and shame so that I am not even conscious of it.

I believe I John 1:6-7 speaks to the process of healing that God wants all of us to experience. When we experience trauma in our childhood which may be intense (ex. physical or sexual abuse, etc. ) or less intense (ex. frequent moves, a hurtful word on the playground, etc.), we may retreat into the darkness of fear and shame, blaming ourselves for what happened to us. We don’t trust anyone nor do we believe anyone could love us. Often times we pick up where our abusers left off and we abuse ourselves with critical self-talk and/or addictions. We may feel engulfed in a sea of darkness and hopelessness.

But Jesus wants to shine His light of love and truth into the darkness that engulfs our wounds. He wants us to understand that when trauma took place in our childhood, He was there with us with tears in His eyes. And He is saying to us, “It was not your fault. I love you and I am so proud of you.” And even though we may abuse ourselves as adults, Jesus is still with us, waiting for us to welcome Him into the darkness where we have been hiding under the weight of our fear and shame. Jesus wants to shine His light of love and truth into the broken and wounded areas of our souls – not to condemn or shame us, but to heal us. And the more we permit Him to shine His light in the depths of our wounded souls, the more eager we will be to walk in the light of His love and truth, being open and honest with Him. 

Prayer: Lord God, please help me to perceive You as You truly are. You are light. You are all that is pure, holy, gracious, love, merciful, and true. There is no darkness or deceit in You. As I grow in my understanding of Who You are, I choose to be open and honest with You, Lord, because You are a good good Father who is eager to forgive me and cleanse me, not forsake me nor condemn me. When I focus on my sin and shame, I retreat into the darkness where You are not. I shut You out of my life because I perceive myself to be too bad for You to love me. But the truth is Lord, You know me better than I do and You still love me and cherish Your time with me. Please help me to say “good-bye” to the lies that isolate me from You and Your family. Please cleanse me of those lies and hold me in Your everlasting arms of love and mercy. Hold me tight my Lord and never let me go. I don’t ever want to be alone again. Thank You for letting me be open and vulnerable with You. Thank You for listening to me and loving me as I am. Oh how I appreciate Your gentleness and graciousness with me. I love You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit. You all are the best. Thank You all for loving me far more than I deserve or can comprehend. In Jesus’ name. Amen.