The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
The sample prayer that Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 also includes the phrase “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. According to William MacDonald, “This petition expresses a healthy distrust of one’s own ability to resist temptations or to stand up under trial” (Believer’s Bible Commentary – New Testament. Wichita, Kansas: A&O Press, 1989. p. 40). Jesus warned His disciples to “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, “but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).
God uses trials to train us and to prepare us for Heaven. That we not allow those trials to become portals to sin is the issue here. Intentionally guarding our time in pray and in the Word with resting by faith in the promises of God during trials brings us into a closer walk alongside God and a better understanding of His purposes for our lives. That is how we live in the culture of hope that is founded on faith. On the other hand, we sidestep God’s perfect will during struggles by refusing to believe the promises of God, particularly His peace, joy, and hope that come with our recognition of the presence of God even during calamitous events. This refusal to exercise our faith opens our lives to temptation to sin. This section of the prayer then is a request to be spared that position, and by logical extension, to be both strengthened in faith and protected from lack of faith. With the father of the afflicted son we say, “I believe: help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
We are comforted by 1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Furthermore, Luke 21:34 and 36 reminds us to “…take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with [excess], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, …Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Prayer with faith takes us out of sin’s way and back into fellowship with Jesus.
You’ve probably noticed that I have skipped around the Lord’s Prayer a bit in this series of posts; but I haven’t forgotten the parts in between. Next week I plan to continue the discussion of the Lord’s Prayer. Thank you for reading my devotional today.
