The phrase “after God’s heart” or something similar is used at least four times in Scripture – two to refer to David.  God says of David that he is “a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22).  That second phrase helps define the first.  A person after God’s heart is one who does all God’s will.  Not part, not some, not a little – all.

This was Saul’s problem.  He chose to do some of God’s will.  He was content to wait for Samuel to make the sacrifice – until Samuel didn’t come, then Saul did it his way.  And he was told that his kingdom would not continue because God had “sought out a man after his own heart” (I Samuel 13:14) – a man who would do God’s will.

Later God tells Saul to wipe out the Amalekites.  Saul wipes out some of them, and then brings the rest for a sacrifice to God.  How religious and pious of him!  But no – again he did it his way rather than doing all God’s will.

We can be like this.  We try to do the Christian life our way.  We obey partly – when it is easy, or it makes sense, or we feel like it.  We have selective obedience.  I have a pastor friend who tells his congregation that the Christian life is not like a convenience store.  At a convenience store, you take just what you want.  I’ll take salvation, but not baptism; church attendance, but not ministry; some prayer today, but not tomorrow; some love and joy and peace, but not patience or self-control.  Each of us can fill in our own tendencies, but God didn’t design the Christian life this way.  He wants us to be a people after his heart – who do all of his will.

What are we doing our way instead of God’s way?  How do we pick and choose like Saul what to obey?  How are we failing to be people after God’s heart?