Day 14: “Lead Us Not Into Temptation”

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

We live in a world where self centered independence is the very air we breathe. From commercials to our celebrities, we are simply what we make ourselves and nothing is impossible for us. Now we enter the counter cultural life of a Christian where Jesus says “blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5) We begin the Christian life in weakness and humility and we continue every stop of the Christian life including our prayer life in humility and weakness. 

Jesus’s last stop on this powerful pattern of prayer sets the tone for the future. How should we view ourselves when we are about to finish in prayer and go out and start the day? One word: dependent. Jesus knows we are weak and so to be strong we must daily confess and humbly remind ourselves that without God's help today any trial we face if we do not depend on God’s strength through prayer, might shipwreck our lives. Jesus wants us to walk in deep humility because we have an enemy who wants to destroy us: the devil. 

In our lives we will face trials that are so hard and Jesus knows that if we are to grow we must live dependent on His strength and not our own. Today confess to the Lord what is true, that we need His help and can’t walk alone. You will find your Father is trustworthy to supply all you need. He has promised to be with you daily, being your strength and has promised one day to deliver you not just from the power of the evil one but from the very presence of him as well. Praise God! 

PRAYER: Father you say when I am weak then I am strong. Help me not to trust in myself, in my wisdom and strength but to cling to Yours. To run to you for help in my time of need. Thank you for not just saving me but sustaining me daily, and for promising to never leave me nor forsake me.