What’s the secret?

I have always heard the King David was a man after God’s own heart.  He was a man known as the shepherd boy that tended to his father’s sheep – known for killing a lion and a bear to protect the sheep – known for killing the giant Goliath who insulted Israel – known as the author as Psalms who played his harp and sung unto his God.  Yet I was reading and thinking about when King David was rebuked by Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 12. 

Nathan said to King David in verses 7 and 8, “Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!  Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.  I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these.”  

So think for a minute what Nathan just said.  He says to David, “If you wanted more, The Lord God of Israel would have given you anything additional to what you already was given if you had asked.”   So all David needed to do was ask God and he would have granted it.  Why?  I asked myself Why would God give him more?  Why was David so special?  David was a man after God’s own heart but he was a worshipper and quick to repent.  He loved the Lord.  He just didn’t sing a song – he worshipped with his whole heart.  He earnestly desired the Lord and when he did wrong, he quickly repented.  Just read Psalms 27 for example.  In verse 4 David says, “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:  That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to mediate in His temple.”

Psalms 51: 10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your Presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”

What was the secret for David?  He was a worshipper who was quick to repent and love the Lord with all his heart, mind and soul.  I believe if we too worship the Lord like David, if we are quick to repent when we do something wrong and have an attentive heart towards God, we too will find great favor with Heaven.