A Man After God’s Own Heart

Acts 13:13-22

Have you ever seen a gravestone with a poignant epitaph of the person buried there? Perhaps it read “Devoted Mother” or “Beloved Friend.” What would you want etched on your tombstone? What epitaph would summarize your life?

In the book of Acts, we discover how history remembered King David. In a sermon presented to a primarily Jewish group, the apostle Paul made reference to David, who was well known to the audience. Remembering all of the king’s great accomplishments during his reign, how did Paul choose to describe him? He declared that God called David “a man after My own heart” (13:22 NKJV).

What does it mean to be a person after God’s own heart? For David, it required an intimate relationship with the Lord (Ps. 63:1; Ps. 63:6-8). This entails more than a regular routine of rote prayers and church attendance. Rather, such intimacy is founded upon a desire to grow closer to the Father (Ps. 42:1).

What would it take for you to be described as a someone after God’s own heart? Which activities would need to be removed from your life? What would need to be added? Ask God for His help in making these adjustments—and for the commitment to make this epitaph the goal of your life.

Bible in One Year:  Genesis 4-7