“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Other than the encouragement of the Lord, why do Christians pray these words? Because we are afraid that we will not stand in temptation. Because we know ourselves to be weak and therefore need His intervention and daily guidance. It is a logical development of our previous prayers. What folly it is to pray for forgiveness of sin if we do not sincerely desire to avoid it in the future. What dishonesty it is to ask for His cleansing and, at the same time, entertain thoughts of doing it again. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” said Jesus to his friend Peter. Part of our daily conversation with the Father should be a frank conversation about the “unconverted parts” of our fickle hearts. He does not reject us for this admission. He wants us to talk honestly with Him. He wants us to have a healthy fear of sin.
