It is a matter of heart!

Reading the Bible can and should always be a wonderful time of communion with God. A time in which, if you let Him, God will make scriptures explode with revelation, when God makes Himself so real, so near! On one of those occasions, I read the following scripture ….

The disciple whom He loved?

Although I had read this scripture often, this time it took my attention and started me thinking. And starting with John, God turned my interest to the people in the Bible!

There are some special people in the Bible, but what made them special and how I can benefit from their lives, is what got me thinking!

What made them special?

I thought that God was not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) and that He does not show partiality, so how could it be possible that Jesus loved one of His disciples more than the others? And if that is true, what chance do I have? "LORD I said, I know you do not have favorites so why is this said about John?"

As I went on reading, God stopped me at this scripture in John wherein the answer lies.

What do we find John doing and what does that show us about his heart?

John got close to Jesus, as close as he could, so he could express his love to Jesus. Through this closeness, this heart that gave, John opened himself to be loved.

Jesus did not love John more than anyone else, but John opened himself up to as much of Jesus’ love as there was to receive.

"For God so loved the world that He gave…" and God received millions of children in return!

John showed love to Jesus and he received the same in return!

That is not all!

As John drew close to Jesus, he saw and understood both the "humanity" and the "Deity" of Jesus, in a way the other disciples did not.

The Humanity of Jesus reaching out to man

The Deity of Jesus reaching out for man

As John continued to draw closer to Jesus, Jesus could draw closer to him.

That is not all!

John dared to love and step into the spiritual realm where Jesus could reveal Himself to John.

It is not by accident and not by chance!

No! you get as much of Jesus as what you want, as Jesus Himself said ....

Don’t be a door stopper.

Be a door opener

Yet John wanted and loved Jesus so much it opened the door for Jesus, for love Himself, to step right in, and to respond more to him than to the other disciples.

Not more - because Jesus gave more.

But more - because John drew more!

David, son of Jesse,

shepherd, musician, giant killer, warrior and king!

When I think of David, I think of God’s words when He chose him as King, (1 Sam 16:7) for that showed, very practically, how God looks at us.

Look at the heart, God says, and you will know the man! So …….

The heart, the real man.

But I know David, he was no angel and he did many things wrong, so how could God say this of David …..

David started life as a simple shepherd, that did not make him special, but the heart of that shepherd boy was special. While Israel was at war with Philistine and Goliath was defying the armies of Israel, David was sent with food for his brothers at war. (read 1 Sam. 17:19-51)

Seeing and hearing what was going on, the young shepherd boy said something that made everyone stop and listen...

David had something in his heart, that the others did not, as he explained to the king.

BIG words from a little shepherd boy, but something made David bold.

And God was with David, and he slew the giant.
What a victory that day, when God showed Himself strong on David’s behalf.
But when was the foundation for that victory laid?

It was already laid long before that day.

It already began in the pasture field,

where David started to spend time with God,

where David started to believe God’s promises,

where David started to trust in God, got to know God’s character and started to trust in God’s covenant.

Out there in the fields David learnt not just what it meant to be covenanted with God, but also how to act on that covenant. (1 Sam.17:45-47)

David said of himself …

Your word I have hidden in my heart … Ps 119:11

As David heard and acted on God’s word, he started to do God’s will, started to live that covenant, and therefore God said of David…

a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'

Acts 13:22

Why was David, a man after God’s heart?

Not for his conquests, for he failed in many.

Not for his ways, for he sinned many times.

Not for his stature for he was not big.

But for his HEART that was big towards GOD.

God chose Saul to reign over His people, to free them from the hand of the Philistines and God anointed and equipped Saul to succeed and be victorious as king.

Saul had God’s promise and His anointing and for a while all was well, but something was amiss.

God stood behind Saul, confirming His promises, but Saul wasn’t listening and did as he wanted. So much so that eventually God had enough …..

Sure Saul made some stupid mistakes, but that did not influence God, for God is always willing to forgive and when God forgives, God forgets……..

God did not reject Saul,

Saul rejected God.

Why do some turn out to be lovers, and why do some not?

Saul did not put God before himself, his heart was not for God, but for himself, his wants, his position.

A stern warning from God!

Don’t just tell me you are sorry

.....

show me you are changing!

God was saying to Saul. If you don’t change and start to live differently, you are rejecting my will and my word, in your heart, which means that you are walking away from Me.

How can I do things for you, bless you,

when you are walking away from me.

Saul, it is not your sin

It is your heart

God has no favorites. David was not favored above Saul, but David made the choice to go God’s way and to obey Him, whilst Saul put his desires before God’s.

It is all a matter of heart!