Another Heart (2)

1Samuel 10:1, 6, 9

Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?... And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man… And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

Now, it was so that after Saul was anointed, God gave him another heart. A heart from God must certainly be for God. A heart for God must certainly love God. A heart that loves God must certainly dwell on God. Saul received another heart from God. This heart was filled with love and mercy for God’s people. It had reverence for God and his servant Samuel, the man of God.

While Saul had received another heart from God he needed to so preciously guard this heart and ensure that it remained connected to Source. As Proverbs puts it:

Proverbs 4: 23

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  

Another Heart

1Samuel 9:7

Then said Saul to his servant, but, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: What have we?

Here is Saul expressing genuine concern about God and Samuel, the servant of God. Saul’s servant suggested that since they had come to the city of the prophet, it would be good for them to visit and inquire from the prophet so that he may show them the way. Saul, knowing the mark of a prophet did not want to go to the Prophet Samuel without a gift. 

By this expression, one can learn that Saul had a heart inclined towards God. He may not have been the best Jew in his day, but he had an inclination towards God. Although Saul had in his heart to bring a present to the man of God Samuel, there is no record as to whether they actually presented the fourth part of a shekel to the man of God Samuel.  

In God’s dealing with us, the inclination of the heart is very important. The orientation of our heart – is your heart set to please God, to give your all, that which you consider most important or most treasured possession to Him?

Like Abraham, God was not interested in the sacrifice of Isaac but in the heart of Abraham. Like Job, God was not interested in his suffering, the loss of his family and wealth but in his heart. Where is your heart placed? In what direction is the compass of your heart pointing to – to God and the things that pertain to Godliness or to the world and the things that pertain to worldliness?