Incline your ear, O LORD... Psalm 86

The spiritual Christian (and which Christian isn't?) will think about scripture enough to notice some strange things.  Here's an example from Psalm 86 verse 1 which reads:

"Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy."

 

We know that God is everywhere and that nothing at all escapes his observation, right down to our thoughts and intentions (which are often hidden from ourselves even).  So why then does he need to incline his ear, as though he is not listening always?

 

The answer is that he doesn't really need to incline his ear because it is already inclined.  God cannot un-incline his observation.  Instead, this is the psalmist (David) calling out from a human perspective.  He is really just asking that his prayer be heard and responded to.  He is calling on God to make his closeness felt to David.

 

God hears us, without a doubt.  God also loves us to draw near to him, not as if we can actually get closer to him physically (or he to us), but to incline our hearts to him in adoration of his majesty.  Sometimes we need to draw closer to God in our lives and sometimes we need him to make his closeness felt to us.  But never forget that he is already with you in all of his infinite greatness, and that no thought of a stray prayer will ever escape his notice.  

 

God is the perfect parent to His children - always there when they need him, and we are always in need of him.

Even in prayer you must watch carefully

The spiritual man knows that he must watch out for himself because the remains of his sinful nature will rise up at even the most holy of times.

 

Satan works in the presence of God (Job 1:6-12) so why would we think that we can avoid his influence when in prayer?  

 

It is during this time when we might be the most likely to let our guard down and forget to observe ourselves for signs of self-worship.  "Not me!" you might cry, but do you not find that your prayers become a matter of boasting, or a message to others who are praying with you, or a point of satisfaction when you have finished that you have prayed for the day and can now feel good about yourself?

 

The prayer of the spiritual man seeks much help from God because he knows that he is prone to doing it wrong, with his mind on himself much easier than his mind on God.  Every moment of mental space throughout the day can be used to consider the majesty of God, and then when prayer is begun, this sense of His glory will help to forget yourself.  

 

God help us to be better children in communion with You!