How healthy is your heart? My heart needs some help! I am reminded this morning of the importance of cultivating a pure heart.
An attack is aggressive, violent, and harmful action. We think of armed forces coming under attack or under fire, but what about our hearts coming under attack? There are aggressive and harmful actions being taken in our culture that do violence against a pure heart.
We see it in politicians and celebrities trying to be politically correct amplifying ideas and agendas that are toxic to the heart. Just as a heart needs blood and oxygen to function properly, we need the blood of Jesus and oxygen of the Holy Spirit to keep our hearts healthy.
Like David we need to have integrity of heart and a heart that seeks to be close to God.
"God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart.
He will do everything I want him to do" Act 13:22 NLT
Is your heart healthy? What is in our hearts today will affect our tomorrow. We see this in the life of David and Saul, do you remember the story? Israel was tired of God as their king and wanted a man-king like the rest of the nations who had charisma. They set their hearts on a tall, handsome man named Saul who was impressive, young and graceful, with a good-looking face and well-proportioned body. He stood head and shoulders above the rest. His size, build and good looks commanded attention and made him attractive and popular.
When someone is chosen for looks, popularity and talent you have to keep up appearances. So Saul’s energies were focused on keeping his throne or ministry and saw David as his competition. Saul did not face the rebukes from the Lord because his heart was disobedient, stubborn and demonized. He was under the influence of an evil spirit. He probably opened the door to Satan when he went to a medium (1 Sam 28:1-6) to get a word from the spirit world.
Here are Five Things in Saul and David That Show Contrasting Hearts.
Saul interested in image - David interested in integrity.
Saul was insecure because lack of relationship with God - David was secure because of his close relationship with God.
Saul was fixated on killing his competition David - David was fixated on the ark (presence) of God.
Saul was chosen by people despite his heart condition - David was chosen by God because of his heart condition.
Saul was chosen for his external qualities - David was chosen for his internal qualities.
David on the other hand was God’s choice. He was the youngest of eight sons chosen not for his looks, physique, or talented guitar playing but rather for his "heart for God." The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (I Sam17:7 ESV) David had an inner quality Saul didn’t have, a “heart after God,” a “heart of worship.” God chose him for his inward qualities even though He knew he would make wrong choices and big mistakes that would result in adultery, murder, anger and disobedience. However, fundamentally God knew David’s heart was bent toward God. I want to encourage you to aggressively guard your heart from the negative influences!! I thank God for a broken and contrite heart. It is a constant struggle to keep it that way. I'm curious. How do you keep your heart from contamination?