Temptation

[Brentwood Women]

"Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." This
petition has prompted many questions - especially in light of what is
found in James 1:13-15. What are your thoughts on this last petition?

[Melinda]

I like to think of this prayer as the opposite of conceit... that
would perhaps sound like "Bring it on. I can take any thing Satan
throws at me without being tempted." The prayer seems to me to be a
humble acknowledgement that my only hope in the face of temptation is
that God will take special care of me and will hand carry me, so to
speak, through anything that might ensnare me.

[Amanda]

I really like Melinda's thought here. I guess I never really put too
much thought into this petition before now. And now that I have
thought about it, I'm not really sure what I think Jesus meant by it.
We know that God does not tempt us; He just allows us to be tempted by
our own desires. So maybe this petition is more about changing our
hearts so that we are not as easily tempted and that Satan cannot get
a firm grasp on us. I'm going to do some more thinking on this one,
but that's my two cents for now.