ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Bend Our Hearts Outward

Ofe’i homau loto ke fakae’a kitu’a

1 KINGS 8:57-58

"THE LORD OUR GOD BE WITH US, AS HE WAS WITH OUR FATHERS. MAY HE NOT LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US, THAT HE MAY INCLINE OUR HEARTS TO HIM, TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS STATUTES, AND HIS RULES, WHICH HE COMMANDED OUR FATHERS."

1 TU‘I 8:57-58

57 ‘Ofa ke ‘iate kitautolu ‘a e ‘Eiki ko hotau ‘Otua, ‘o hangē ko ‘ene ‘i he‘etau ngaahi kui: ke ‘oua te ne li‘aki kitautolu, pe fakatukuhāusia‘i: 58 ka ne ofe‘i hotau loto kiate ia ke foua hono ngaahi hala kotoa, pea ke tauhi ‘ene ngaahi fekau mo tu‘utu‘uni mo konisitūtone, ‘a ia na‘a ne tu‘utu‘uni ki he‘etau ngaahi kui.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e veape ko e nataha ko e lea pe ia ‘oku lahi hono ngaue’aki, ke fakamatala’i ha me’a ‘oku mafao atu (hange ko e nima) folahi (hange ha teniti), pe ofe’i hange ko ha ngauhau. Na’e ngaue’aki ‘e Siosiua, ko e lea fakataataa ‘i he’ene fekau ki ‘Isileli “ke mou hu‘ihu‘i ‘a e ngaahi ‘otua muli ‘a ia ‘oku ‘i homou lotolotonga, pea nataha (ofe‘i) homou loto kia Sihova ko e ‘Otua ‘o ‘Isileli” (Siosiua 24:23). Na’e fakaongo ‘e Solomone ‘a e fekau tatau na’e fai ‘e Siosiua, he’ene lotu “ke nataha (ofe’i) hotau loto kiate Ia.”  Ko e pango, “He ‘i he faifai ‘o motu‘a ‘a Solomone, na‘e [nataha] fakaafe ‘e hono ngaahi uaifi hono loto ke muimui ki he ngaahi ‘otua kehe (1 Tu’i 11:4). Na’e pehee ‘e ‘Akositaine, ko e tangata angahalaa, ko e incurvatus in se (ngaofe ki loto ‘iate ia pe) sio kita pe, ko e loto kuo mapelu ki he ‘otua ‘o e kitaa.

‘Ia Kalaisi, ‘oku foaki mai ‘e he ‘Otua kiate kitautolu ‘a e me’a na’e palomesi kia ‘Isikeli: ko e loto kakano ke fetongi’aki ‘a e loto maka (‘Isikeli 36:26). KO e loto ‘oku moluu, ofe’i ngofua ‘oku hanga ki he ‘Otua. ‘Ia Sisu, "kuo taumalingi ‘a e ‘ofa ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i hotau loto ‘i he Laumālie Mā‘oni‘oni, ‘a ia ne foekina kiate kitautolu” (Rom. 5:5) - ko e Laumalie ‘oku ne ofe’i hotau loto mei he mo’ui siokitaa ‘o fakahanga ki he ‘Otua mo ‘Ene Folofola. 

Ofe‘i hoku loto ki ho‘o ‘ū fakamo‘oni na, ‘O ‘ikai ki he pa‘anga ma‘u kākā. 

(Saame 119:36).

The verb natah is a common word, used to describe how something is stretched out (like a hand), spread (like a tent), or bent (like a bow). Joshua used it figuratively when he commanded Israel, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and natah ['incline'] your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel" (24:23). Solomon echoed Joshua when he prayed that God would "natah ['incline'] our hearts to him." Sadly, in his old age, idol-worshipping wives of this same king "turned away [natah] his heart after other gods" (1 Kings 11:4). Augustine describes the sinner as incurvatus in se, curved inward on oneself, navel-gazing, with hearts bent toward the god named Ego.

In Christ, God gives us what he promised through Ezekiel: hearts of flesh to replace our hearts of stone (36:26). Supple, bendable hearts that incline God-ward. In Jesus, "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Rom. 5:5)-the Spirit who inclines our hearts away from selfishness and toward God and his Word.

Lord Jesus, "incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!" (Ps. 119:36).