Read and meditate on Matthew 6:13 today…
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
There are three personal requests–give us daily bread (physical needs), forgive us our debts (relational needs), and deliver us from evil (spiritual needs). This last request for spiritual protection is in verse 13.
I often wondered why we should ask God not to lead us into temptation. James 1:13 reminds us that “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” Some have said that a better idea here is “testing.” God, do not lead us into a time of testing. That’s a good possibility.
I think Jesus’ own life can help us understand this. In Matthew 4, the Bible says that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” Obviously God did not tempt Jesus but He did allow Him to enter into the desert where Satan tempted Him. The desert was part of God’s plan. It was difficult, trying, exhausting, and spiritually dangerous but God allowed His Son to enter into it. Why? To prove Jesus’ character, to enable Him to be a sympathetic High Priest to us, and to teach Him earthly obedience. Jesus, as a man, “learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Wild thought….but true.
In our own lives, we sometimes go through the desert. It’s the last place we want to be. It is difficult, trying, exhausting, and even spiritually dangerous. But only in the desert do we learn to depend fully on God. Of course, Jesus teaches us to pray, “God, do not lead us into this place of testing.” We shouldn’t have a martyr’s complex looking for the desert. It’s not something that we want but it is something that we often need. Just like Paul’s thorn in the flesh. We plead for God to take it away but sometimes He allows it to remain so that we can learn that His grace is sufficient. Some lessons are only learned through difficulties.
That’s why the second part of the request is so important. Lord, don’t take me into the desert of testing, but if it comes, deliver me from the evil one. May I not forsake You. May I not deny You. May I not give in to bitterness or despair. May I find Your grace in the midst of the pain.
Lord, I see my weakness. It scares me. I am not sure how I would stand in the face of extreme pain, persecution, or death. Do not lead me there. But if and when it comes, strengthen me through Your Spirit.