There is Wonderful Hope from God for you and me! Don’t despair.. this devotional is not to put you down or condemn you but to offer you and me HOPE and encourage us… if we find ourselves in that place! Read on…
“Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in Your ways.”- {Psalm 119:36-37}
If you shared with someone that you had no desire for God’s Word, would you be scolded, frowned upon for it? Some immature people may even look down upon you while they puff up themselves, “believing” you are obviously not as “spiritual” as they are? They have their “quite time” read and read, go through their daily reading {though some days may not be able to tell you what they read but their goal was to get through it, “stay on schedule…” and yet miss the point, coming away and not knowing Him any better!}.
They May even gossip about your “fallen state” with others! What if you are going through what some call a “dry spell?
There may be many various reasons, some spiritual as 1 Peter 2:1 lists five of them. There may be physical reasons like the dear friend who picked me up at an airport to speak at a conference several years ago. He had someone ask him “Are you in the Word?” He had been going through several severe treatments for his illness that wiped him out, physically and emotionally. I am sure the person who said that to him meant well, but it made my friend sink down into shame as though he was failing. I shared with him the question is not, “Are you in the Word’ But The Word is IN You! All those years of reading, hearing, the Spirit of God can recall to you…” It seemed to lift his spirits, as it is true. God’s Word IN us can be recalled by the Spirit of God TO us!
So yes, there are various reasons… but what I want to share with you to encourage you is if you have no desire for His Word, is to start with… GOD…The Author.. Tell Him.
It’s not as if He does not know, the fact you are even acknowledging it is God at work “IN YOU”- {Phil 2:13}.That is His grace and love for you! He hasn’t and won’t and doesn’t stop loving you! His love is not based on your “performance” but on the perfect performance and work of His Beloved Son, The LORD Jesus Christ on your behalf!
Note the Psalmist prayer and appeal…
“INCLINE my heart.” It is a verb- a continual work he asks from God. He asks God to create, bring about something new which he cannot do himself. He appeals to God. It is a verb…not a one time event. That may involve changing the INCLINATIONS he already has, as may be the case for you and me also. We are inclined towards certain things, some may be good, not so good, some sin, some not…. we all have DESIRES and the Psalmist wants GOD, The Author of HIS Word to incline his heart towards His WORD!
God is whom he Appeals to, FOR GOD alone can INCLINE the DESIRES and DIRECTION of his heart… as He can FOR you and me! That is GREAT NEWS, Encouraging news. HOPE inspiring Confident News.
We can go to GOD and know from God He will do it. for it is His delight, desire and design for us!
He asks God to Incline his heart….to DESIRE His Word! What a great prayer and he asks the Right PERSON to do it. For God is able and God DELIGHTS to do so. What a good Prayer for yourself… and maybe you could pray it for other people, “LORD, INCLINE________ their heart towards Your Testimonies and not gain”-{Psalm 119:36} One translation says “TURN MY HEART TOWARDS…” He asks God to turn His heart.. in the direction of His Word! To turn to implies it must be turned away from!
This is a Good prayer for you, me, today and to pray it for others. Asking God to do what only He can do, Change our DESIRES and DIRECTION of our Heart…. and we can count on Him being faithful to do so! The Psalmist acknowledges it is a work of God. It is a gift from God. His Grace. We ask Him, we look to Him and we know He will be faithful to fulfil this request, since He has generated it in our heart in the first place, For It is God who works “IN You” for His own good pleasure”-{Phil 2:13} He delights to work “in” us!
Be encouraged the LORD is for you -{Read Rom 8:31}…. and if we ask anything according to His Will not only will He hear us but promises to answer that prayer…{Read 1 John 5:14-15}. Personalize the Verse, “LORD, INCLINE {Turn my heart, desires} to Your Testimonies. And not to gain,”
“INCLINE MY HEART TOWARDS YOUR TESTIMONIES AND NOT TO GAIN”- {Psalm 119:36}
It is Incline my heart towards Your Word… for in it you will find –
His Word gives the Knowledge of Salvation-{2 Tim 3:15}
His Word is Life imparting- {Phil 2:16}
His Word when applied Frees you up- {John 8:31-32}
His Word imparts Wisdom to you – {Heb 5:13-14}
His Word Encourages you – {Rom 15:4}
His Word Builds you up spiritually – {Acts 20;32}
His Word He reveals Jesus Christ to you -{Luke 24:27}
If you want a Bible study and allow the Author of the Scriptures to encourage you read the above Scriptures….
Ask Him to “INCLINE” your heart towards His Word… today…
Scripture says we have not because we do not ask and at times when we do ask we ask amiss… but you are not asking amiss when you ask your Heavenly Father to turn your heart INCLINE your heart with the desire for Him and His Word… and He will take you on a new Direction.…inclining your heart towards His Word which reveals the GOD of the Word!
PRAYING FOR GOD TO INCLINE!
THIS HAS SO ENCOURAGED me these words “INCLINE MY HEART” as it has helped me in praying such as “LORD INCLINE MY HEART TOWARDS____” Or “LORD, INCLINE my heart AWAY From____}
and also praying for others “LORD INCLINE______ heart towards…” or” LORD, incline_____ heart away from”
YOU CAN HELP OTHERS;
If someone shared they did not have a desire for His Word, you know one thing {not the only thing} you could do for them? Is open Psalm 119:36 and if you don’t have a Bible how about memorizing it… and share with them and ask them to Ask GOD… to “INCLINE- Turn – their hearts and Desires in a new Direction for His Word!
PRAYER.. for yourself and pray for others…
“Incline my heart towards Your Testimonies.. That I may…
DESIRE Your Word -{Psalm 119:36}
DELIGHT in Your Word-{Psalm 1:2}
DO Your Word-{James 1:22}
You talk to God and ask and He will do the turning and INCLINING your Desires in a new Direction! What a GRACIOUS God is Ours 🙂