Today’s Devotional: “God’s Choice Based on Our Heart’s Response”

The public anointing of David by Samuel was simply a confirmation of David’s earlier heart response to God. You see, God had already investigated David’s heart and found it loyal and fully committed to Him.

When someone is called, we give them the ministry titles, and it merely confirms what God has already done in that person’s heart.

God’s call and the anointing for service are conditioned upon our heart’s response to His call.

David had a believing heart. Yes, he was a sinner and did some bad things, but he always knew of God’s grace and constant guidance watching over him as the Great Shepherd, as stated at the start of the Great Shepherd Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

David wasn’t one of those fair-weather, rocky-soil believers who, when things don’t go their way, get blown away. The seed was planted deep within the good soil of his heart. In Psalm 57, David talks about being surrounded by those who wanted to eat him alive. But he also speaks of God’s saving grace and then makes this wonderful statement.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.” (Psalm 57:7)

David’s heart was fixed upon God, not upon the circumstances.

God’s choice is based on our heart’s response to His love. So, how have we been doing? Hopefully, our hearts have responded in the affirmative, and we have accepted God’s gracious gift of His love through His Son, Jesus Christ. But what about now?

Consider David’s heart as he prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

How do we respond when God reveals our sin? When God revealed David’s sin, David repented.