A man walks into the doctor’s office for his annual checkup thinking that he is in exceptional health. He eats a well-balanced diet, exercises, gets plenty of rest and is very conscientious when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. To his surprise, the doctor gives him some unfortunate news regarding his health. He has a problem with his heart and will need immediate surgery. The surgery goes well, and the man begins his recovery. Now more than ever, this man pays special attention to the kind of care he gives to his heart. This man knows that to the body the heart is an essential muscle needed for life. If the heart is not functioning correctly, then the whole body is affected. Any person that desires to be healthy needs to pay special attention to his or her heart, especially if there is a known problem with the heart.
Just like having a good heart is essential for physical health, it is also essential to be pleasing to God. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel was sent out by God to anoint the king who was to rule after Saul. Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to anoint the king from among the sons of Jesse. The older sons of Jesse passed before Samuel, and he was sure one of these men would be the next king. However, God saw something different in these men. God saw their hearts and would not appoint any of the older sons as king. Then, Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons. Jesse confirmed he had one more son who was tending the flocks. This young man was David. David pleased the Lord and was soon to become king. In Acts 13:22-23, David is known as a man after God’s own heart. Through this man and his seed was to come the Christ. David pleased the Lord.
Now, it is important to note that David had many flaws and sinned like everyone else, but David is still known for having a heart that was pleasing to God. David was shown the mistakes in his life, and he was greatly sorrowful for all the sins that he had done. David’s heart temporarily focused on pleasing himself, but when he saw the error of his ways, David made the changes he needed to make to once again be pleasing to the Lord. Like David, we too need to be a people with good hearts. We need to take a look at our hearts and make sure that each and every day we are living for God. A good heart muscle is necessary for a long physical life, but a good spiritual heart is also crucial for a life pleasing to God.
