Growing up in church, I’ve heard just about every piece of Christian-ese you can imagine. One phrase that has always stood out is, “King David was a man after God’s own heart.” For years I accepted that at face value. After all, David did some amazing things.
He refused to kill King Saul even when he had the chance. He captured Jerusalem and made it the capital for God’s people. And, of course, as a teenager he stepped onto a battlefield with only a sling and a stone and took down a giant. But none of those feats are what made David a man after God’s own heart. And it certainly wasn’t because he lived a perfect life—we can rule that out immediately.
So what was it?
The answer is found in Acts 13:22:
“He raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.’”
That single line—who will carry out all my will—unlocks the mystery.
Knowing the Commander’s Intent
I like to compare this to a modern military idea: commander’s intent. A soldier who understands his commander’s intent doesn’t need every detail of the mission. He can make decisions on the fly because he knows the ultimate objective.
Likewise, knowing God’s heart isn’t about having every instruction in advance. It’s about knowing His intent—His will—and choosing to follow it wherever it leads.
An Unqualified Yes
David earned the title “a man after God’s own heart” because he was willing to do all God’s will.
- He didn’t pick and choose the parts of God’s plan that were convenient.
- He gave God an unqualified yes, with no plan B.
- He did God’s will despite the cost.
Focus for a moment on that word “all” in Acts 13:22. It’s overwhelming. None of us know all of God’s will, but we are accountable for all that we do know. And this is where none of us can escape the challenge.
Our Call
You and I are called to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t earn that by military conquest, public position, or heroic stories. We don’t have to be kings like David.
We simply need the same posture: a heart ready to carry out all of God’s will that He makes known to us. That’s what it means to give God an unqualified yes—and that is what still delights His heart today.