Incline our hearts

I'm enjoying taking the 8.00am services at St Luke's, Thurnby (our neighbouring parish) in which the 1662 Book of Common Prayer is used.

At the start of each service, we hear the ten commandments. And in response the congregation prays together, "Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law".

I've been thinking about how different this is from our instincts, which might lead us to pray: "Sorry, God, I'll try harder."

"Incline our hearts" is a prayer that God would work in our very being, rather than a promise to do better through the application of our own willpower. To pray this sincerely involves something more vulnerable and daring than making a promise. It means permitting a Godly transformation to take place within. Cultivating the transformation of our heart's desires and inclinations is a better, more effective, more faithful, response to God's law.