The Lord’s Prayer: forgiving and protected hearts
“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11:4).
Willingness to forgive is the next aspect of the Lord’s prayer. The Lord Jesus teaches us to confess our sins and also to be willing to forgive others, thereby displaying the character of God revealed in Christ: “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Colossians 3:13). This is not an easy process. We can be deeply hurt by the things we suffer from others. But forgiveness sets us free from bitterness and leaves our pain in the hands of God. It reminds us, too, that we can also hurt others and should put things right.
Prayer for God’s protection for ourselves and others from temptation and evil is essential. We are all capable of making the most dreadful mistakes and we live in a world where temptation abounds. The Lord told Peter, James and John to “watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Peter later writes, “Therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7). We should always be alert to spiritual dangers and not sleepwalk into situations which will harm ourselves and others. We are rarely caught out by the obvious, but more likely to be drawn away by what seems unharmful. Each day June and I pray that God will go before us, guiding our steps and keeping us close to the Saviour, never forgetting that, as He prayed for Peter so long ago, He has each of us in His heart.
We used to live near Oldham in Lancashire, which was once Winston Churchill’s constituency. One day, when he was campaigning in an election, Churchill asked a passer-by if he would vote for him. “Vote for you!” exclaimed the man, “I would rather vote for the devil.” To which Churchill replied, “As far as I know, the devil is not standing in this election, so perhaps you might vote for me!” Too often we can unintentionally “vote for the devil” by giving way to temptation. Prayer keeps us from the evil one and away from spiritual and moral dangers.
Prayer was a vital part of the Lord’s ministry. It has always impressed me that the disciples’ desire to pray effectively came from witnessing this ministry. One disciple asked the Lord, “Teach us to pray.” The fact the “The Lord’s Prayer” can be repeated without thought should not prevent us from seriously considering its themes. Our prayers should lift our spirits to God, our Father, in worship. His will should be our primary concern. John reminds us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We experience the forgiveness of God, and, in forgiving others, we express the heart of God. The Lord Jesus also teaches us the importance of asking that we should live holy lives. Before going to the cross, Jesus prayed, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). He added afterwards, “I also have sent them into the world.” God’s answers to the themes of the Lord’s prayer enable us to abide in Christ and “to walk just as He walked” and to witness to the glory of His grace in this world (1 John 2:6).
