After God's Heart

This morning I went to one of my favorite chapters in the book of Psalms, 119. As I began to read, I noticed some things that stuck out that really showed David’s desire for more of God and why he was a man after God's heart. David opens up giving four characteristics of a blessed man:
-their ways are blameless (before God and man; their witness)
-they walk according to the law (which means they are knowledgeable of God’s word)
-they keep His statutes (they obey what they have learned)
-they seek Him with all their heart (they desire to know God more and more)

After setting up an outline of what a blessed man looks like, David desired to become that man and the rest of the chapter is him growing into that man. He does some self-actualization. I’m not going to go through all 176 verses but here is a start:
Vs. 5-8: After realizing what it takes, David gets a desire for learning and obeying. He starts to get a zeal for God.
Vs. 9-16 He’s focusing on learning God’s Word and obeying it. He’s realized that in order to stay pure and blameless he must live according to God’s word which comes from seeking God with your whole heart and getting His word inside of you (hiding it in your heart). David did not see this as something that was burdensome or a habit, he delighted in learning God’s ways and Word.
Vs. 17-24 You begin to see David’s growth in desiring more of God. “My soul is consumed with longing for your law at all times.” Every part of him is submitted to knowing God. He realizes in following God, he can’t act like everyone else so he begins to empty out, “remove from me scorn and contempt.”
Vs. 25-32 David understands the power and importance of God’s word. He is opening up more and more to God and allowing God to be his everything.
Vs. 33-34 David says, teach me and I won’t forget, give me understanding and I’ll fully obey.

Lord, I see why David was considered your friend, not because he did everything right but because he desired you, he was after your heart. He saw a vision of a man that you would be pleased with and set his heart to become that man. He had a zeal to know you and your Word. God, I pray that I would see a clear vision of who you want me to be and set my heart to becoming him. I pray that we, your people, would understand that you don’t force us to seek you but because you first loved us we should desire to know you. because you gave us the choice, we are able to seek you with our whole heart and joyfully as David did. Love is not an obligation but a choice. When I was forced to read in school I did not enjoy it but now that I have the choice to read I thoroughly enjoy it. Thank you for giving me the choice to seek you, that it may be done out of love and choice. Father, as you teach me your word and give me understanding I pray that I would desire more of you, that I would allow you to rule every area of my life, as David did. In Jesus’ name, Amen.