After His Own Heart ( Lessons from David)

by Marietjie Chase

God does not need anything or anyone. He is self sufficient. Yet, David pleased God. What was it of David, that was pleasing to God? What makes a man or woman after God's own Heart?

David restored the ark of God - the presence of God - to it's rightful place. I Chron. 13:3
David's main concern was a dwelling place for the presence of God Ps 132:4-5 David valued the presence of God.

David did the right thing the wrong way. And had the heart to go and find the right way and try again. He was no quitter. There was no"giving-up" in the man.

He feared God. I Chron 13:12 Was sold out for God. Ps 16:8 and attacked a giant for blaspheming the name of his God. Ps6:2

David had a sane estimation of himself. He was humble. Real humility is to only care what God thinks. It is to NOT get your selfvalue from people. It is to be resigned to the will of God for your life. To trust God completely.Ps 19:12-13. When Absalom rebelled and David and his household had to flee, there was a man that followed at a distance cursing David and throwing dust about. One of David's men wanted to go kill this little dust bunny. But David said: Let him be. Maybe God told him to curse me. David left his defense to God.

David had an awesome respect for the anointing of God. Even when Saul hunted him like a dog, he refused to lay a hand on God's anointed. He honored Saul not for who he was but for WHAT he was: God's anointed. Even when you can't bear the "who" you have to respect the "what". David chose the life of a fugitive rather than dishonor God's anointing.

David had one best friend who died early. David's lonely heart found it's rest in God. The Psalms, most of it David's, so raw in emotion revealed a deep intimate friendship. People are not to be trusted with our soul. Only God earns this position. The self principle and the flesh makes it impossible to grant people this place. It is not possible to be a God pleaser and people pleaser at the same time.

David was also a painfully honest, passionate worshipper. He was a worshipper long before he was a warrior and king, and also long after.

He was not perfect. As a matter of fact very few of us can measure our transgressions to his level. Yet, he humbled himself and his heart never changed towards God. He did not participate in the blame game but took responsibility for his own actions.

What difference a heart like this makes.

Spill Over 

by Marietjie Chase



Paul said that we are reconcilers between God and man. I am a bridge. You are to be a bridge. We are all to be the one who bring the two together.

There is some problem in functioning in this purpose if we do not know God. Some years ago, after an extended fast, God spoke. He said: " My people do not know me."

This broke my heart and send me on a two year quest to read everything I could find about God and pursuing Him. One of the works I devoured was Jim Goll's "Wasted on Jesus" and maybe this title says it all.

If we are truly in pursuit of God, if our hearts truly follow hard after Him, we would seem to those on the outside as utter fools. He is more than anything this world can offer yet we are so often distracted and enthralled by this world's stuff.

There is still a gentle call. There is still a sweet invitation to "come away with ME". To those who can hear it, to those who can listen, there awaits unspeakable, incommunicable experiences.

There was a reason Jesus told the disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem. Wait and become so filled with God that you will spill over. How else can the world know Him? They have to be splashed with the overflow.

Sadly most that go by His name, do not know Him and have nothing inside of themselves. Jude poeticaly call these, sunken rocks, waterless clouds, wild waves of the sea, fruitless fall trees, wandering stars, twice dead.... How great the loss for them and their followers.

Simple devotion to a living King. Know God and be known by Him. That is really all that matter.