1 Samuel 12

"A man after my own heart."

Saul screwed up and disobeyed God. I don't know if he really thought he was doing the right thing by sacrificing before battle, or if it was more like his version of a good luck charm, much like some MLB players cross themselves before each at bat, or point to the sky after a strikeout. Perhaps it was just religion (read: tradition) to make a sacrifice before battle so he was just doing what he always did because Samuel was delayed. Or maybe, this seems most likely to me, Saul was just panicking and lost his trust in God. His troops were deserting him and he wanted to get the show on the road before it became a one man show (not a good recipe for success for a new king).

An interesting thing to me is that Saul was replaced by God when be had just barely started. He didn't even get his 30 day review before God told him he wasn't going to make it as king. Yet God allowed him to remain in power (even in "lame duck" status) for 42 years.

God had found a man after his own heart in David, but what took him so long to actually reach the destination that God had planned for him? One could say he was ready to lead the nation militarily (Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands), the people loved him (the same, also killing the giant did wonders for his rep I'm sure), he had the right woman (princesses don't just marry anyone), and it seems like he was ready to lead spiritually too (he spent so much time with God as a shepherd, wrote psalms, played spiritually soothing music in the king's court).

Was God not through with Saul even though he'd rejected him? Was Israel just not ready? David certainly seemed ready, even though we see he learned many lessons between the time he was anointed and the time that he became king. But what really made David qualified to be king?

He was handsome, sure. Pretty awesome with a stringed instrument, voice and pen. He could fight, lead and stand up against hard odds. But it seems the key above all these was that he was a man after God's own heart.

What does that mean? Certainly not that he was sinless (see: Bathsheba). I think it means that more often than not, he took the actions that God himself would have taken as a man, felt what God would have felt, and lived how God would have lived.

David's priorities were in line. He worshiped God and knew He was with him. He cared more about what God thought of him than what other people thought of him. He did what was right. He honored his family. He lived and loved with his whole heart.

I hope those are things that can be said of me. I will work to be sure they are, God willing.

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