Jeremiah17:23 – But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
Inclined says it all. It’s past tense, meaning it happened before? What makes us inclined to hear God? I believe it’s the Holy Spirit! It has nothing to do with us. Our flesh inclines us to live an undisciplined life. To follow our feelings and desires. There is nothing natural about seeking a supernatural God, nor wanting to live a life consecrated to Him.
Face it, if we are not inclined to hear about God by the Holy Spirit, to believe in Him, we never will on our own. Billy Graham calls it the ‘hounds of heaven’. I heard Billy Graham speak when I was 10. His brief message has stuck to me for 58 years. I have been inclined towards the things of God ever since. I listened to familyradio.org and ttb.org (JV McGee) throughout my time in the army and civilian life. I did nothing to be saved. I was inclined to be saved. I was never inclined to false sects or religions. The Holy Spirit makes us want to (incline towards) knowing God. It’s only by Him, an irresistible force. That’s why I love working with kids. Something sticks.
We can not explain why we are inclined. It’s an inner, supernatural yearning. It’s important to know who is inclined to hear the Gospel when we are inclined to evangelize. Ask the Lord to direct your path. To open conversations and ways to evangelize those who are inclined to hear. You don’t have any way of knowing. The most foul, unloveable person might be inclined to hear about Jesus, and the pleasant person might not be inclined. Pray to be guided! As Jesus said-
Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
If you have ears to hear, get on your knees right now and thank the Lord. Being inclined to know about the Lord, and to someday believe, is a supernatural gift. I was inclined to love God for eternity, the same God of Moses and Abraham. The only true God is the God I believe in and worship. I grew up with an unexplained love for God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
When we are inclined toward God, God is inclined toward us! Take a look at Psalm 116:1,2 in KJV. When we pray, God “inclines His ear” to us… and to conclude, here is an interesting text. In John 1:12,13, we are BORN OF GOD! God is inclined to save us!
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.