I'm finding it hard to concentrate lately. Urgent things keep popping into my head, which need to be transferred to lists or accomplished immediately. I keep leaving phone calls unreturned. I keep finding wet laundry in the washing machine. I really ought to be studying Spanish right now, but I've just got to finish a few things at the computer first.
Yesterday in church, I had this same trouble focusing. During the prayers, my mind raced and my heart only stretched toward God for moments at a time. I tried to rein myself in by the second half of the Lord's prayer, when something struck me. Here's the line I was on...
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...
That but struck me as significant. I don't think that but is simply a transition word from one thought to the next. It suddenly occurred to me that deliver us from evil is in a direct juxtaposition with lead us not into temptation.
I always read deliver us from evil as, in my own parlance, please keep us safe another day. But I don't think that's what we're talking about here. If this follows directly after my plea to keep me away from temptation, then it must mean please keep me from doing evil things.
This shook me up a bit, and continued my lack of focus through the sermon. I can't tell you what the preacher meant to communicate to me yesterday, but here's what I got:
When He taught us to pray in the Lord's prayer, I don't think Christ instructed us to pray for our own safety. I don't think He makes any promises about that. We are taught to pray against doing evil, and being tempted by evil. And I can do that. But if y'all wouldn't mind, maybe you could pray for the safety of our family?
Yesterday in church, I had this same trouble focusing. During the prayers, my mind raced and my heart only stretched toward God for moments at a time. I tried to rein myself in by the second half of the Lord's prayer, when something struck me. Here's the line I was on...
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...
That but struck me as significant. I don't think that but is simply a transition word from one thought to the next. It suddenly occurred to me that deliver us from evil is in a direct juxtaposition with lead us not into temptation.
I always read deliver us from evil as, in my own parlance, please keep us safe another day. But I don't think that's what we're talking about here. If this follows directly after my plea to keep me away from temptation, then it must mean please keep me from doing evil things.
This shook me up a bit, and continued my lack of focus through the sermon. I can't tell you what the preacher meant to communicate to me yesterday, but here's what I got:
Simon Peter was a real character, very dynamic. He was the very first person to correctly identify Jesus as the Christ, and Jesus praised him highly for that. And then in the very next paragraph, when Jesus explains His plans to die for our sins, Peter tells Him to dial it all down quite a bit before someone gets hurt. Well, Jesus gets pretty mad and yells at poor Peter. And at some point here, Peter learns that serving God is not all wine-out-of-water and finding-lots-of-fish. Serving this Christ he chose to follow will take him down a very dangerous road.
When He taught us to pray in the Lord's prayer, I don't think Christ instructed us to pray for our own safety. I don't think He makes any promises about that. We are taught to pray against doing evil, and being tempted by evil. And I can do that. But if y'all wouldn't mind, maybe you could pray for the safety of our family?
1 comment:
Those zingers, or 'ah-ha' moments are doozies, aren't they. So much to think about with each line of that prayer. Including your family in my prayers as you work through this crazy time of preparation and transition.
Post a Comment