Are you familiar with the term “heart incident”? It’s ticker trouble. And one in two American men never gets up from his first heart incident. Not good odds.
Lately I’ve been pondering heart incidents of another sort. God has a lot to say about our spiritual tickers. What an eye-opener! (preferred figure over “heart-stopper”) I hope to share some of these gleanings as “Heartbeats” in the days ahead.
Heartbeat #1: God can “incline” our hearts.
Solomon prayed, “Incline our hearts” to Yourself, so as to walk in all Your ways.1 David prayed similarly, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies,”2 and, “Do not incline my heart to any evil thing.”3
The rich Hebrew word for “incline” is elsewhere translated as: The Lord stretched out His hand. The donkey turned aside. The Lord bowed the heavens. Solomon’s wives turned his heart away. Samson bent with all his might so that the house fell. Incline Your ear, O Lord.
All of these describe an action that forces a change of course or direction. Solomon and David asked the Lord to channel their hearts in a particular direction.
So if God can incline hearts…
…wouldn’t I want Him to incline mine toward His?
…couldn’t I pray accordingly for my wife, children, and loved ones?
…shouldn’t that be the basis of my intercession for my unbelieving friend?
O Lord, as the Incline Railway on Lookout Mountain pictures steep, downward-directed forces acting on that rail car, would You similarly incline my heart to love You all my days? I invite You to take any necessary actions to accomplish this course of direction in my heart.
1 1 Kings 8:57, 58
2 Psalm 119:36
3 Psalm 141:4