The Heart of David 2 – Simplicity

Morning Dew

 

Key Passage: Psalm 27

 

 Psalm 27:4 – “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

 

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Life ought to be quite simple. But the more we seem to know the less we realise we do not know. We add knowledge upon knowledge and end up more ignorant than when we had little knowledge. One thing we can all agree with is that life is not that simple, otherwise many will succeed at this matter of life and living. A friend once told me that the LASER is focussed light and that is why it is so powerful and can cut through the hardest steel. I have not researched it, but it seems quite plausible and fit for my purpose today. God in His infinite wisdom has set the agenda for life and has made it so simple to succeed in life if we can order our lives along His prescribed route. In the book of Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 and 5, we read the following “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” This is simple enough. God is one or number one and we must love Him with all we are and all we have. If we can do this simple deed, we would succeed in the matter of life. But do we? Is our life that simple?

Today, let’s look at David again. David was successful in life. He had many flaws and made some grievous mistakes, committed heinous crimes and sinned so badly, yet he succeeded in life. He was so successful that God made His dynasty and eternal one. He made sure that The Lord Jesus, the eternal King of all the ages, is a direct descendant of David and when He returns at the end of time, He would take up the throne of David in Jerusalem. Why was David so successful?

May I suggest that it comes from the simplicity of his heart? May I also point out that David had a focussed heart. His heart was ruled by one overarching desire. This we find in our text for today. 

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

David said in this Psalm that his single most important request from God and what he seeks the most, is that he would dwell in the house of God and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. In other words, my goal in life is simple. Just give me God and I would be fine. All I need is to be in His presence and everything will work itself out in my life. David was obsessed with God’s presence. He loved God so much that he spent most of His days just musing about God. He wanted to be so close to God that he literarily built God’s tabernacle behind his house and went in there as often as he could in a day. He stayed up all night to be with God. David did not concern himself with too many things; he just spent time with God. The Psalms are full of his testimonies on this matter.

David simplified life by choosing the ONE THING that mattered most, the presence of God. It is interesting that in the book of Luke 10:38-42, we read the story of two sisters and the Lord Jesus Christ. Martha and Mary. They both loved the Lord and their brother Lazarus was His friend. One day the Lord visited their house and Martha got busy trying to be the perfect hostess, but Mary just sat at His feet and looked and listened to the Lord. Martha got annoyed and complained to Jesus that Mary was not helping in the kitchen. Jesus’ answer is quite instructive. He said ““Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Jesus told her in plain language that her busyness was not what was required, but like Mary, only ONE THING is really needed and that is what Mary had chosen. He affirmed that the person who desired and spent time in His presence has chosen the best part.

Let me encourage you to give God top priority and spend time with Him. Become a God-chaser. Become obsessed with His presence. Desire Him more than anything else in this life and I guarantee you will be successful in life.

Let me leave you with a word from God on success taken from Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

So make your life simple, just make the knowledge of God you chief purpose and that is God’s definition of success. But how can you know someone you do not spend time with?

 

Let’s pray: Father God like David, please give us the grace to put you as the chief purpose of our lives. Lord please draw us into deeper fellowship with you. Help us to love you more than anything else in this world or this life. Lord we desire intimacy with you, please help us to make this our priority, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

2 thoughts on “The Heart of David 2 – Simplicity

  1. Inspiring message. It’s so easy to subconsciously let other things creep in, inch by inch till God is no longer foremost in our hearts (though we confess otherwise). Even now I look within my heart and I see those cares of life creeping in again! Lord help us!

    1. Great to hear from you Christian. John Wesley once said that he struggled with the condition of his heart. In the midst of God’s great move, he said he found out that after every third day, he had to go back to God in deep repentance and for grace to have his love for God revived. I guess this is a life time struggle and it should keep us humble and hungry for God. Shalom and love to your family. PCA

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