Incline Our Hearts: An Uphill Journey

 By: Lauren Thomas 

A few places in the Bible we find prayers and pleas that our hearts would be inclined to God. The word incline has a few different definitions, but some of note are: 1) to be influenced or disposed toward, 2) to have a tendency for doing something, 3) to bow or lean toward, and 4) a surface that is sloped. And while these definitions are different from each other, they are all applicable when we look at the phrase in Scripture: “incline my heart to God.”

I recently hiked down into the Grand Canyon, camped for the night, and hiked out. To say that the trail out of the Canyon is an incline, is an understatement. At times I was breathless with exertion as I climbed out under a heavy pack. To walk or hike with an incline increases your effort. When we incline our hearts to God, it involves effortful pursuit of God.

 

To walk at an incline involves purposefulness and intentionality. We don’t walk up a hill without choosing to. We would much rather choose the path of least resistance, something that provides a flat, leisurely stroll. When we incline our hearts to God, it involves purposeful intentionality.

 

Walking at an incline literally involves a posturing of the body that faces forward. Whether that is due to the effort or fighting gravity, we lean (bow) forward when walking up an incline. This physical posture is one of humility. We don’t walk uphill shoulders flung back, chest up, chin pointed defiantly toward the sky. We bow. When we incline our hearts to God, we assume a posture of humility.

 

When we walk at an incline it takes us upward. We gain elevation. The miles and miles I hiked up the Grand Canyon resulted in a change of elevation. I could literally feel the change of temperature from hot to cooler as I hiked upward. When we incline our heart toward God, we get closer to him, we begin to live closer to his holiness, we acclimate to His elevation. And it changes our lifestyle.

 

As Solomon prayed when he dedicated the temple, may we incline our hearts to God. Even as it involves effort, intentionality, humility, and a spiritual elevation of our lifestyles.

 

⁵⁷ The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, ⁵⁸ that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.

1 Kings 8:57-58

 

Reflection:

Visualize yourself walking uphill. How is this similar to inclining your heart toward God? How can you pursue God’s holiness, a higher elevation, today? Pray that God would incline your heart toward Him.