Wednesday, April 16, 2025

 And lead us not into temptation;

The day I am writing this is also the day of my last exam of the semester, so I was tempted to just let ChatGPT write it, but I resisted those temptations.…s l o w  c l a p HA! See what I did there? ;)

I’m grateful I signed up to contribute to this devotional, as it prompted me to reflect deeply on the meaning of this line. I used to think “temptation” was just another word for “sin,” even though I used the term casually in daily conversation. But since the Lord’s Prayer mentions temptation after sin, it can’t be the same thing. It must be important enough to stand on its own.

Let’s explore the word “temptation.” It comes from the Latin root temptacioun, which means “the act of enticing someone to sin” and “an experience or state of being tempted.” This definition helps clarify what Jesus was teaching. Avoiding sin is hard but doable. However, avoiding the state of being tempted to sin is far more challenging.

Many Christians confuse being tempted with actually sinning because temptation feels like sin. That misunderstanding places a heavy burden on our hearts. But we must remember even Jesus was tempted by the devil (Heb. 4:15). The devil tempted Jesus three times—offering power and wealth—but each time, Jesus resisted.

So, if Jesus was tempted why do we need to pray about temptation? The spiritual progression in the human heart goes from desire to temptation to sin to death (James 1:12-15). Jesus was tempted yes, but the main difference between Christ and us is he did not give in to the temptation of sin. He resisted.

Sin requires forgiveness, but temptation requires deliverance. In life when you feel the pull of desire and temptation, take heart. Pray to God that He will deliver you from that temptation, lest you fall into sin.

Prayer: Dear Lord, You are perfect, almighty, and powerful. So often, when we’re tempted, we fail to turn to You. Sometimes we even consciously turn away and fall into sin. For this, we ask Your forgiveness. We pray that You deliver us from the temptations of the world so we may stay true to You. Be with us as we go through this world and face worldly pleasures, that we do not forget You and who You are. Amen.