When we pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, we are not assuming that the Lord is tempting us, for it is written in James 1, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
So when we ask Him to lead us not into temptation, we are really crying for help to a merciful father to do according to His will, to deliver us! This is the point when we must exercise our will, to follow the temptation, or to pick up our cross and follow Him. Let us not forget what Esau gave up for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:34). How much more important than that is our walk with our Lord. We fail Him and ourselves when we let temptation act like a river that carries us away, instead of standing on the rock of His promise to deliver us.
Stand firm today, friends. He is faithful. He is strong. Let us look to Him and honour Him this day with our choices
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