Tuesday, April 5

What Does Your Heart Look like? –
Who Is Looking with What Eyes?

Our theme this Lent is “Heart Conditions – After the Lord’s Heart.” The second part of the theme comes from the book of Acts, the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. Paul is preaching in what would be modern-day Turkey. He quotes from the Old Testament book of I Samuel as he describes the young shepherd boy David who was “after the Lord’s heart.” No doubt Paul was hoping that those Jewish people listening to him in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch would have the same desire as King David.

A word search for “heart” in I Samuel, reveals four entries of the word between chapters 16 and 21 – all entries describing the heart of David – and all presenting a very different picture.

The first quote is from I Samuel 16:7 where God is speaking to Samuel about who God wants for the next king. – “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We might be surprised to learn that Samuel is quite impressed by the stature of Jesse’s oldest of seven sons. But God has the advantage of being able to discern the heart, soul, and spirit of the young shepherd boy – who, not surprisingly, is out watching sheep while his brothers are feasting with a special visitor. Maybe we, too, can look into David’s heart, simply by looking at what he’s doing, while his brothers feast inside?

The second occurrence of the word “heart” comes in the next chapter, verse 28. This time it is used by David’s oldest brother Eliab. As the oldest brother, he certainly expected to be chosen to be anointed; it’s like a cultural “natural selection.”  But he was passed over!   Then he meets David who has been inquiring about the giant Goliath while delivering some food for his brothers who have been discussing how to slay giants.

“Now Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, ‘Why is it that you have come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I myself know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.’”

Eliab’s perspective concerning David’s heart is much different from God’s perspective. No doubt, Eliab harbored bitterness toward David because he was chosen instead of the eldest.  (It helps to have David’s words recalling the event in Psalm 23, “He anointest my head in the presence of mine enemies…”).

The next reference is from David himself. The scene is the same, except now David is speaking with King Saul, who is a bit of a giant himself, and is encouraging him that no one who follows God should be afraid. “And David said to Saul, ‘May no one’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!’” (I Sam. 17:37) We are reminded again that David was previously anointed, and the Holy Spirit “rushed upon David.” David had a “heart after the Lord,” but certainly the Lord was after David, and caught him! Was David aware just how much of his courage was now coming from the Holy Spirit?

The next entry of the word “heart” comes four chapters later, and is from the author, commenting about David’s heart. The context is that David has been on the run from Saul for some time. In desperation, David goes to the Philistines and offers his services to them.

Much has happened in the interim. David has slain the giant Goliath. People are singing songs about him, which apparently the Philistines have heard and know some of the lyrics. Top 40 radio in 1000 BC? Saul has turned against David and has tried to kill him more than once. David has married Saul’s daughter, which is a double-edged sword. And speaking of swords, lacking a sword, David asked the priests at Nob if they had one.… They did.  It belonged to Goliath of Gath. And as they described, “there was none like it.”

David may not be the sharpest tool in the shed:  he shows up at the Philistine King’s doorstep, holding the sword of their defeated champion and offering his services! The King receives counsel from suspicious generals, who quote the song lyrics, and remind King Achish that David is essentially the king of Israel. The author now describes David’s heart: “David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish, king of Gath.” (I Samuel 21:12)

We have four different perspectives of David’s heart.  God’s perspective describes him as aspiring to God’s heart; his brother’s perspective describes him as having a “wicked heart.” And we have David’s heart revealed in his words to Saul – reveal David has a courageous heart. And, finally, we have David’s heart described by the author – a heart that was filled with fear.

As with various cardiac imaging tools, we will get various opinions about our spiritual heart condition.

One could reason that each of these four perspectives is valid and should be taken into consideration – especially by David. Our heart is not always steadfast, nor was David’s. Possibly Eliab saw the lurking pride in David’s heart which would later emerge full-blown in the Bathsheba incident.

David’s son Solomon – who also had a bit of a wandering heart – would write these words: “As in water a face reflects the face, So the heart of a person reflects the person.” (Proverbs 27:19) The reflection of water might be turbulent , or reflect with glass-smooth clarity. We do need to consider the condition of our heart at all times. But ultimately if the Lord has gotten hold of our heart by the hand of grace…only His perspective will stand in the Day of Judgment.