A man after God's own heart

Chosen not for his appearance but for his heart — and restored through sincere repentance after he fell.

When God sent Samuel to anoint a new king, David's older brothers seemed the obvious choices. But the Lord said: 'Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'

David was called in from the field, where he tended the sheep, and anointed in the midst of his brothers. His greatness lay not in strength or stature, but in a genuine devotion to God.

Even so, David failed — and gravely. His sin with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it brought painful consequences upon his house.

What sets him apart is not the absence of failure, but the depth of his repentance. Broken, he cried out for forgiveness and turned back to the Lord — and so he is remembered as a man after God's own heart.