One of my favorite life inspiration characters in the bible is David.  A passionately flawed person that captured the heart of God.  Destined for greatness but bruised and victimized by his own choices as well as the decisions of others, yet in all this he made an incredible mark on the earth.  The bible speaks of David as “a man called after God’s heart”. 

Acts 13:36 in part says  “David, after serving the purpose of God in his generation, fell asleep…” 

This brings a question in my thinking of not only the purposes of God in my generation, but what kind of people will He call to fulfill them, and do you and I fit? 

First of all, God chooses differently than we do. 

1 Samuel 16:6–7 (NKJV)

So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Samuel had been sent to identify a new king for Israel.  Using the metrics that we may have used, he chose wrongly.  We see that God looks not at the physical accomplishments, not even the educational or experiential components, but the heart.  How does the bible describe our calling?

1 Corinthians 1:26–27 (NKJV)

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" 

That passage of scripture always gives me inspiration and hopefully you as well, that we are all qualified to be part of a grander purpose in life. It answers the question from above of whether or not we fit. I believe it helps us to understand that everyone has a chance to make a difference.  That even when you feel you’ve been “passed over”, not chosen for this or that…But when you give your heart to God there is a pathway for you. 

1 Samuel 16:12–13 (NKJV)

"So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah."

David’s life shows us the power of a submitted heart partnered with the anointing of God.  The first step in the process is a submitted heart to God.  That is our response, our surrender.  The second step is God’s response to anoint, to enable, to equip…The rest could be history!  A submitted and surrendered heart in the hands of an amazing God can change the course of not only a person, but a family and furthermore a generation.  David was a man that surrendered his heart to God before he had any indication of the greatness of the purpose that it would initiate. 

I have found personally that surrendering my heart is a constant and consistent practice of being a disciple.  Why?  I believe that there is a constant battle for the affections and attentions of our hearts.  That the enemy knows the power of a submitted and surrendered heart combined with the anointing of God can and will fulfill the purposes of God in any generation.   So will you take the challenge to consistently be in a heart surrender to God?  It could change the world around you…

-Pastor Jeff Ecklund