But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him a leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.

I Samuel 13:14

The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. (Psalm 13:2) Seeking God is a fundamental heart requirement for a true spiritual leader. Saul became impatient when Samuel did not come when he told Saul he would come to Gilgal. So Saul decided not to wait any longer and made a burnt offering to the Lord. It seems like a harmless thing to do while he was waiting, doesn’t it? In fact, it seems like a godly thing to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, seeking Him in the face of danger! Samuel told Saul that what he did was foolish and that he had disobeyed the Lord. Saul’s kingdom would be taken away and given to a man “after God’s own heart.”

God wants us to surrender our hearts to Him and to His love. He tells us to seek Him with all of our hearts and to love and obey Him. Have you determined in your heart to do this? God looks at the heart when He calls leaders. As we examine the fruit of our lives and the words that come forth from our mouths, we are able to see what is stored in our hearts. It is always a good idea periodically to have a “heart” checkup to be sure that there are no “spiritually clogged arteries.”

Heavenly Father,

I pray that You will give me a “heart” checkup. Like David I pray that You will examine my heart and see if there is anything offensive in me. (Psalm 139:23-24) Help me to not grow weary or impatient in doing the things You have called me to do and to willingly obey You. Though I often fall short of loving You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, I do seek to do so and to walk in Your ways.

In Jesus’ name, Amen