1 Chronicles 17:1 Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”
2 Samuel 7:1 Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,
2 Chronicles 6:7-9 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
Haggai 1:4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
Haggai 1:9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
“It was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart” David had a heart that sought and followed after God. He placed God first in all he did, thought, and said. In Davids’ heart, God was always present and all-powerful. We can see from David’s life what it means to have your whole heart, mind, and soul fixed on God. He lived in a house of cedar and God’s house was a tent and David did not think this was right.
Placing God first in our heart and mind is a choice that is intentional. It means we choose to meditate on Him. Think about David’s heart and how much scripture there was present during His life. His heart and mind thought long and deep about God. He made decisions based on keeping God first. He rejoiced in God’s presence and goodness and love. He rested in knowing that it was God who forgives man, not a man who does acts worthy of God’s forgiveness. It is in God’s sovereign hands. David knew to stay close to God, seek God, desire God, and follow God was where he found joy, peace, happiness, strength, courage, and forgiveness.
We do well to place God first, because if He is not first then something else is and that something else certainly will not be where we find joy, peace, happiness, strength, courage, and forgiveness. When God is first and everything else is second is when we know that our heart, soul, and mind are fully given and surrendered to God. It is when we think more and more about Him and wants to know more and more about Him, and when we want to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust, and obey Him more than anything else in our life. It is a choice to stay in His word. It is a choice to live this way each day. It is a choice to think, speak, and act in ways that bring honor and glory to God. Make Him your intentional choice to honor, glorify, and worship.