Scripture Reading: Psa. 19:14; Acts 13:22-23
Both of the above passages are related to David. Psalm 19:14 is a prayer of David, while Acts 13:22-23 is a description of David. In David's prayer, there are the "words of my mouth" and the "meditation of my heart," or the thoughts of the heart. He prayed that he would not only be kept in his words outwardly, but also be acceptable to God in his thoughts inwardly. The words of the mouth are an expression of the thoughts of the heart. The heart is the root problem. Whether or not one outwardly says the right words is not the basic problem. Whether or not one has an outward attitude in his speaking that is right is also not the basic problem. The thoughts of the heart are the basic problem. The thoughts of the heart constitute the root problem and cannot be overlooked. David did not merely pray, "God, may the words of my mouth be acceptable before You." He added to the prayer, "May the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You." David's prayer was for the thoughts of his heart to be acceptable before God. This is why Paul could later testify that David was a man according to the Lord's heart. A person who is according to God's heart allows God to touch his heart. If you will not allow God to touch your heart, it will be hard for you to be one who is according to His heart. Many Christians ask, "Why is it wrong for me to do this? Why is it wrong for me to say this? Why is it wrong for me to express myself this way?" Brothers and sisters, whether or not you are doing the right thing, saying the right thing, or expressing yourself the right way is not the real problem. Rather, is your heart right when you are doing such a thing, saying such a word, or expressing yourself in such a way? What is the condition of your heart? What is the condition of the root? Even if you are right in every outward thing, it is still possible for your heart to be wrong. God is touching the condition of your heart and asking about it. He allows many winds and waves to beat upon His children for this very reason. He uses these things to touch your heart and to expose the condition of your heart.
The Bible shows us that David's life was characterized by the way of the cross. He lived a life of the cross. Two names are mentioned at the beginning of the New Testament: Abraham and David. These two persons ushered in the Lord Jesus; they brought God from heaven to earth. God needs to find someone like Abraham and someone like David before He can have a way to come from heaven to earth. We know that Abraham is the father of faith; his life was characterized by the way of faith. Only a way of faith can bring God down to earth. David's life was characterized by the way of the cross; he lived a life of the cross. He not only brought God to men, he also brought His rule among men. If you live in faith, you will afford God a way to come to man, and if you live under the cross, you will afford God a way to rule among men. If God's children are willing to take the way of the cross and live a life of the cross, God will rule among men in many ways. Brothers and sisters, in order for God to rule within, you must live the life of the cross. The characteristic of David's life is that he lived the life of the cross.
David suffered many extraordinary experiences throughout his life. These experiences were there to test the condition of his heart. He was despised at home. When God told Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse to be king, Jesse gathered together his seven sons but forgot David (1 Sam. 16:6-13). Yet the heart of the young man was proper. His heart did not become improper through this experience. God told Samuel, "For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (v. 7). God was pleased with David's heart. This is why he was chosen by God and used by Him.
After David killed Goliath, God put him in a situation where the women of Israel proclaimed, "Saul hath slain his thousands,/and David his ten thousands" (1 Sam. 18:7). One of these two sentences was a test to David, and the other was a test to Saul. Proverbs 27:21 says, "As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; / so is a man to his praise." Will you be proud when others praise you a little? Will you be jealous when others praise you less? The praises by the women of Israel tested David's heart as well as Saul's heart. David was not moved by the words, "David has slain his ten thousands," but Saul was provoked by the words, "Saul has slain his thousands." This word exposed Saul's jealousy (1 Sam. 18:6-9). Suppose you are engaged in some work with another brother. If another man comes along and praises your brother for his work, yet says nothing about you, how will you feel? Perhaps you will feel somewhat unhappy and displeased. This slight unhappiness and displeasure proves that you are not that clean inside. Did you not say with your mouth that you were doing this for God and not for yourself? Yet a word of praise from others provokes you. This proves that your heart is not all that clean. Every experience in our environment, particularly the way we are treated by those close to us, is a test to our heart. When David killed Goliath, all the hearts of Israel turned to him, yet Saul gave him a difficult time. During that long period of time, he submitted himself under God's hand and dared not walk away from God's hand. This shows how clean David was; his heart was right.
Later after David became king, he suffered a severe trial as the result of a great failure. His own son sought his life; Shimei cursed him and cast stones at him. What did he say? His heart was crystal clear that the Lord had bidden Shimei to come, and he looked to God for his good (2 Sam. 16:5-12). Do not think that negative circumstances will harm us. If our heart is not right, they will harm us. If our heart is right, they will do us good. Our circumstances expose our heart's condition. David lived a life under the cross, and this life revealed his heart's condition.
Brothers and sisters, we have to be careful about our words and our attitude, but we have to be more careful about the thoughts of our heart. Sometimes what we do outwardly does not necessarily reflect the condition of our heart. Only our inner feelings reflect the true condition of our heart. It is useless to merely guard our mouth because if the heart is not right, it will find the opportunity to express itself sooner or later. Brothers and sisters, our idle talk about others exposes our heart's condition. The more our heart is for God, and the more it seeks after Him in a pure way, the less we will have idle talk. Every time we gossip and murmur against others, it is a sign that our heart is not right. A heart that is single towards God will not have too many idle comments concerning others.
A brother once said, "If a `little brother' offends me, I can forgive him. But if a `big brother' offends me, I cannot forgive him." Another brother who was listening to him nodded his head unceasingly and fixed his eyes on his heart. The second brother was indicating, "Your heart! Your heart! If a `little brother' offends you, you can forgive him, but if a `big brother' offends you, you cannot forgive him. This exposes your heart. To forgive a `little brother' when he has offended you does not expose your heart. But when a `big brother' offends you and you cannot forgive, this exposes your heart." The presence of an offending `big brother' exposes the unforgiving heart. An object may not burn when it is lit with a match, but when it is thrown into the furnace, it will burn. This means that the object is not really incombustible. A `little brother' was not big enough to expose the heart of the brother, but a slight touch from the `big brother' exposes his heart. Brothers and sisters, do not complain about your wife or your husband. Do not complain about your parents or your children. They may be a matchstick, or they may be a furnace, but they are there to expose your heart. You should thank the Lord for them.
Dear brothers and sisters, if our heart is right, no one can shake us, and our heart will always be looking to God. David was according to the Lord's heart because his heart was after God no matter where the Lord put him. He did not have anything to do directly with men; he was related directly to God. He received everything from God's hand, and he viewed everything from God's eyes. Again I repeat that God uses our circumstances to test our heart. Brothers and sisters, may we pray the same prayer as the psalmist: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart/Be acceptable before You,/O Jehovah, my rock and my Redeemer."
