David – A Man After God’s Heart

Yeah I know what you might be thinking: how can I possibly apply such a great biblical characteristic of a great biblical character to my brother?  Read on and you’ll see where I’m coming from.

Today my brother celebrates 32 years on planet earth.  Of course at this point I enjoy pointing out that for the next month, week and a day we will share the same age – 32.  I think that’s really cool and every year during that period I refer to him as my co-bro – cos we’re not twins yet we’re together for the same age.  It tickles me pink.

Anyway, David is the most important man in my life.  My Dad is very precious, I admire him greatly and still now look up to him as my role model for manhood especially in terms of maturity, responsibility and consistency.  Yet for all that David just edges it in terms of important men in my life.  I’ll tell you why.

But first, growing up David and I had an interesting relationship dynamic when we were growing up in the same home.  With us being so close in age I never got the impression that he ‘looked up’ to me as his older brother.  He has come across as a person more than content to go his own direction.  Although there are elements of conformity about him, there is a greater streak of almost a stubbornness that refuses to compromise his essential burning quest for truth.  More than anyone else in our home, David has taken on board a heart for God – a pursuit after the heart and understanding of who God is and how that affects his life.  That pursuit has lead to a great divergence in theological thought between us as brothers, but I do not doubt for a minute the sincerity and conviction of his actions.  This is what makes him so remarkable.  His conformist tendency could not overwhelm his commitment to truth.

That already leaves him at the tender age of 32 as a decent role model already of a genuine humble and meek pursuit of godly character.  Only too willing to acknowledge most of his faults and forever seeking that place where he belongs and to become all that he is to be not in a physical sense but in his relationship with God and others.

Unsurprisingly it is a pleasure and a privilege to be his brother.  After so many years I acknowledge us as co-bros because he’s my equal, not so much my younger.  There is enough for me to look up to in his character and the way he has gone about ordering and living his life is a real credit to his devotion to God and his respect for the family from which he comes.  I’m sure Dad would be immensely pleased with the son he has in David as I know the rest of his family admire, appreciate and love him dearly and deeply for the great friend, son, brother and companion he is.

Unlike his brother, David is not likely to get a swell-head, so I can say these things and he knows the heart from which they come and even this does not begin to explain what an extraordinary man my brother is.  My heart’s desire for him as he proceeds in this 33^rd year of living is to intensify further his pursuit for the heart of God and for him to experience further the blessings that await in that pursuit.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd