Luke 11:1-4 (ESV)
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
The Christian though not of this world still lives in this world. As a result, he or she is beset by many sins and struggles. This is why Jesus taught us to pray this part as well – that we be led into temptation but that we be delivered from all evils. The implication of this is that the believer, first and foremost, acknowledges that it is God who leads them. With this in mind, one then goes ahead to ask God not to allow them to get into a temptation situation. That is the first part. The second part is asking God to deliver us from the evils bedevilling us. This connotes that one has already found themselves in a situation and they are pleading for a way out.
This particular part of the Lord’s prayer can be quite confusing as, from face value, it may seem to communicate that God tempts us. However, James reminds us that God is not tempted by sin and neither does He tempt anyone (James 1:13). He goes on to say that it is our own lustful desires that lure us away leading us to sin and eventually to death. The apostle John elsewhere talks of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). These things lead us into temptation and that is why we must ask God that we be led not into temptation. And in the event that we are there, we ask for a way out, for deliverance which God has promised (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Reflections
1. What was your understanding of this part of the Lord’s prayer before?
2. What things easily tempt you? Ask God that you be not led there.
3. Are you currently in an evil/sinful situation? Ask God to deliver you.
