1.In 2 Samuel, Chapter 1 we read about the death of Saul. Saul had hated David so much that he had chased him all over Israel, for more than ten years, trying to kill him. Now at last, he was dead. If you were in David's place, what would your reaction have been to such news? Notice David's reaction. We know that Saul had committed suicide (1 Sam.31). But an Amalekite man came to David, and told him a lie, seeking to ingratiate himself before David. He told David that he had killed Saul, at Saul's request, and gave Saul's crown and bracelet to David. He expected David to be delighted and to reward him for this action. But instead, David tore his own clothes and wept and fasted the whole day in mourning for Saul (1:1-11). Then David asked this man how he was not afraid to kill the Lord's anointed. He then got one of his young men to kill the Amalekite for daring to kill Saul. That man paid quite a price for the lie he told. But see David's attitude there. This was one of the things that made David a man after God's own heart. We know that Jesus said,"Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hurt you and harm you, pray for them that persecute you." David did that. He had a new-covenant attitude in old covenant times. David did not hate Saul. Even though Saul had lost the anointing, David always said, "I will not touch him."

2. David then wrote a lamentation for Saul and Jonathan and spoke wonderful words of praise about them in all sincerity from his heart. Here is a lesson for us to learn how a man of God should behave towards a person who is evil towards him. David said, "Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places….. How have the mighty fallen!" (v.19, 25, 27). We can understand his praising Jonathan, because he was a close friend of David's. But he also praised Saul, calling him a mighty man who had won many victories. He appreciated the good he saw in Saul and left it at that. He left Saul's judgment to God and refused to judge him himself. There he was a man after God's own heart. It was such a man whom God picked up and placed on the throne of Israel.

3. 2 Samuel 2:1. It is written that"David inquired of the Lord…" David's constant habit was to seek the Lord's will about everything (1 Sam.23:2-4 and30:8). In 2 Samuel 5:17-25, we read of two battles against the Philistines in which David sought the will of God. The second time, the Lord told him to change his strategy and to attack them from the rear. Each time the Lord changed the strategy. David was a man of war, but he always got his strategy from the Lord and that was why he always won. When there was a famine in the land, he asked the Lord why there was a famine(2 Sam.21:1).

4. The men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah first. Later on, he was anointed king over all Israel(2 Samuel 5:3-5). He was 30 years old when he became king over Judah. And he had to wait for another 7½ years before he ruled over all Israel. So he had to wait for more than 20 years in all before God fulfilled His promise to him. His waiting period was almost as long as Abraham's! But David waited patiently. We are called to follow the examples of such men who through faith and patience inherited God's promises. David never grabbed the throne for himself. He waited for God to give it to him in His own time.

5. 2 Samuel 6:20. "David returned to bless his household." What a beautiful thing to do - to bless one's household - especially when coming home exhausted after having danced on the street for many miles! I wish every husband would come home from a tired day's work to bless his household, instead of coming home in a bad mood and making demands on his wife. David had a nagging wife in Michal, but that did not quench his joy in the Lord! As soon as he entered through the door, she started nagging him, yelling at him and criticising him for dancing like the ordinary people instead of behaving the dignity becoming of a king. What did David reply? He said he would not be bothered by his wife's opinion, but would continue dancing before the Lord for the rest of his life (v.21).

6. 2 Samuel 7:2. David now wanted to build a temple for the Lord. Nobody told him to do it. But he thought in his heart, "I dwell in a beautiful house, but the ark of God dwells within a tent." I wish more believers would think like that: "Lord, what a comfortable house I have built for myself. How much money I have spent on my own house. How little I have given for Your work! How little I am concerned about Your work!" God's work requires workers who will sacrifice themselves, their ambitions, their time and their money. Many believers work overtime in their factories and make profit for their companies. Can't we as God's servants do a little overtime work for Him - without any pay and without any complaining? David was a man after God's own heart, and he was concerned about God's house. May all of us have such a heart as his, till the end of our days - always concerned about God's house more than our own house. God will take care of your house if you take care of His.

7. David cleared the ground for Solomon by defeating all the enemies of Israel. He also collected all the gold and silver required for the temple. But Solomon built it. Are we willing to do that? Can we do all the hard work and then let someone else get the honour for doing the work? Or do we want the honour ourselves? The man after God's own heart does all the work in the background to make it easier for others and is willing to let them get the honour.