Straight to the Heart- I hope you have a minute, or twelve.

What is this thing called a man? What or who comes to mind? I suppose that depends on where you come from, how you grew up, and the men that were present in your life. Some had great dads, some didn't have dads and some had dads that were there physically...but at the same time, nowhere to be found. What kind of men are prevelant in this society, nation, and world we live in? What kind of men are we? Who are we becoming? What or who is molding us into the men we're going to be?

Lust. Pride. Selfishness. Jealousy. Alcohol. Pornography. Greed. - Not just addictions in this world, addictions that creep into the heart and mind of a man and slowly break him down while the world not only says it's okay....they push for it, publicize it, and praise it. The daily battle never ends. The struggle is constant, and the failures consistent. Our inequities continue to pile up and it gets easier day after day to go into hiding, to live in the darkness, in the sin. It's a journey, a process, a series of trials and triumphs that  take the heart of a man and change it from a man of this world, into a man of God.  From the time we were young enough to comprehend, we were tought that we are to be Christ like, because afterall Jesus was the perfect man. An example so great should only be encouraging, right? It certainly is what we are called to strive for, all the characteristics we are to embrace and embody. But the constant failures are overwhelming, and the devil uses them to try and hold us back from becoming the men that God has called us to be...

 " If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:8-10

The fall took place, sin is innevitable, it's not going to end but we have to be willing to receive grace. How can this possibly be reconciled with the call to be a man of God, how do we move forward from the constant setbacks. The answer isn't found in another self help book, or why we gave in again. The answer is found in the word, and in the heart of a man.

After Saul is going to be removed as King of Israel, Samuel tells him that now " the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his own people.." 1 Sameul 13: 13-14

God then makes known "I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.". Acts 13:22 

God doesn't say that he has found the perfect, sinless or blameless man. God picks David because of the heart he has, a heart that is willing and for the Lord.  He doesn't say that David will never sin again, because if you take a closer look at David, it gets messy. The man after God's own heart, the man that God knows has a heart capable of leading a kingdom in a way that is going to honor him....that same man falls into lust. The same man that slayed Goliath because he trusted in the Lord with every ounce of his being, this same man saw a beautiful woman across the way bathing...and gave into temptation....he was an adulter. He was a murderer of Bathsheba's husband. (2 Samuel 11).  The sin and lies began to pile up, but when I read closely the story of David, it resembles every man. Maybe we don't all murder or commit adultery, but we lust, we are prideful.... we get ourselves into messy situations and cause a lot of hurt for other people. After everything that David got himself into, we see his heart, we see him pleading with the God....

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.

  For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
   and justified when you judge.
⁵Surely I was sinful at birth,
   sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
   and blot out all my iniquity.

  Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

  Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   so that sinners will turn back to you.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
   you who are God my Savior,
   and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
Open my lips, Lord,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.

Psalm 51

There is encouragement in this story to last a lifetime, to show that developing into a man of God isn't about being flawless, it's about making your heart sensitive to the Lord. The ways that David sinned, and the complete mess that he made never defined him; Nor will our sins ever define us. They might put us through a fire, but with every fire we become purified and gain more wisdom. I think being a man often means doing things that you don't necessarily want to. The tests and opportunities are daily, to bring heaven or hell to Earth. Maybe being a man of God looks like spending your off day, giving up your time,  to put a  new roof on your future son in laws new home. Maybe it looks like being a newlywed at 21 and having to move to a different state, take care of your sick mother in law, your sister in law, brother in law, and new wife with a baby boy on the way. Or it could be telling your family that they are going to get up and walk to the front of the church and pray for the new year, praying for each one of your kids and your wife, proclaiming that they are going to experience God in their lives like never before and letting a family friend know that you love him and are Dad to him. I know that it's all of these.

When we line our hearts up with the Lord, no matter how bad we screw up, we make ourselves willing to be shaped into the men that God has called us to be.

"You will find me says the Lord, when you seek me with all of your heart."

 Jeremiah 29: 13