The Lord's Prayer, Phrase by Phrase, Part 9: "Lead us not into temptation"

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts

as we have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

Does God really lead anyone into temptation? The answer is no.

In the translation of this text, the word "temptation" is the same as "test" or "trial."

This sentence is a request for protection and a promise of obedience to God's guidance. When we walk in obedience to God, God can refine us and make us better without allowing unnecessary pain and suffering (tests or trials) in our experience.

Like any good parent, God does not like to see his children suffer.

Suffering is not always educational. Sometimes, suffering is just painful. We don't learn anything useful.  There are no spiritual insights, great or small. We just suffer. Like any good parent, God would prefer we learn from His instruction and guidance rather than the pain and suffering brought by the one Jesus calls "evil." 

If we understand the word temptation to mean test or trial, we can pray "Lead us not by tests and trials" or "Lead us away from tests and trials." This also means "Lead us by teaching and instructing us." 

Without obedience, we can walk into tests and trials unknowingly. Inside of these tests and trials, we can become overwhelmed or deeply wounded. The path of recovery may be a long path. In our limited knowledge and our inability to see the future clearly, we do not always correctly identify or recognize the consequences of certain choices or options. What looks like a good opportunity may be a severe test or trial.

Remember: God does not like to see his children suffer.

Avoiding a problem is better than asking God to punish someone who brought a problem.

In this part of the prayer, Jesus teaches us to always ask God to keep us away from the tests and trials that can wound or harm us. God can teach us without inflicting pain or harm on us.

Here's an example:

Imagine you are a parent or caregiver teaching a child to ride a bike. You have selected the best bike, made sure it was properly fitted for the child, and you have given the child a helmet. You and the child have practiced safe riding and the safe operation of the bike's features (brakes, gears, etc.). One lesson remains: how to cross streets safely.

You could tell your child: "Always stop at an intersection or road. Look both ways before crossing." The child follows your instruction and stays safe and enjoys the bike.

Or, what happens when your child ignores or forgets your instruction and gets hit by a car? After they recover, you again tell your child: "Always stop at an intersection or road. Look both ways before crossing."

In both cases, a lesson has been learned. In one case, a lesson is learned by instruction. In the other case, a lesson is learned by experiencing a painful, non-fatal injury.

When you pray "lead us not into temptation", you are speaking your willingness to be led by God's instruction and not by the lessons of painful experience. Because we are God's true children, he wants us to learn. Choose the easier way of learning. Choose instruction.

Next week: What does Jesus mean when he teaches us to pray "Deliver us from the evil one?"