Lead us not into temptation

This, then, is how you should pray:

"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 also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one."

Thursday night at TNT Dr. Allen Jackson, from NOBTS and interim pastor at UBC, spoke about prayer and the Lord's prayer. I had a lightbulb moment. A moment when I finally understood something with such a greater, deeper meaning. "And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." The Lord does not tempt us. He allows us to be tempted but He does not tempt us. He is the one who delivers us from the evil one. He is the one who provides the way out of sin and the way out of temptation. My mind immediately went to 1 Corinthians 10:13. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." Typing it now I am also reminded that it is not if you are tempted but when you are tempted. We will be tempted. He will provide a way out- and that is the wonderfully good news.