The Wading Pool

I have many inclinations in my nature.  I’m inclined to like the mountains over the beach.  I’m inclined to answer “Qdoba” upon being asked what I’d like to eat.  I’m inclined to stay home and chill as opposed to wanting to hang in a crowded place.  That’s just me.

There’s also another inclination that I’m not real proud of:  me.  My natural, unbridled tendency is to do what I want, regardless of what anyone else wants.  In the modern lingo, it’d be said “do whatever feels good.”  So I need help with this.

“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to covetousness.  Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.”  Ps. 119:36,37

The fact that the psalmist is asking God to incline his heart to God’s Word is proof positive that I’m not alone in this.  I’m sure you’re in the same boat right along with us.

According to the dictionary, to incline is ” to feel willing or favorably disposed toward an action, belief, or attitude.”  Or, perhaps this definition gets it even sharper: “to lean or turn away from a given plane or direction.”

It reminds me of the definition of repenting:  to turn 180 degrees and head in the opposite direction.  My natural direction is to the flesh, to the things that I want, but the Bible tells me to die to myself, and live to Christ (Gal. 2:19-20).  I can’t do that on my own (it’s not natural!); only Christ can do that. Hence the psalmist’s cry for God to do the inclining.

And notice the natural tendency hidden in the inclining:  covetousness.  The desire to have what someone else possesses.  I don’t know about you, but I struggle with that daily…almost constantly.  I want to play guitar like that guy, I want to have that car, I want to be able to sing like that guy, I want that house, I want, I want, I want.  Anybody?

The remedy?  Realizing that only God is enough, that only He satisfies, and asking Him to incline our hearts toward that satisfaction, like the psalmist, and away from the stuff that’s just passing away, or “worth-less.”  And waders, everything is worth less than God.  Everything.

So how about you?  Which way are you inclining?