Living in the Spirit
July 16, 2022
Scripture Reading:
Luke 11:1-13
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ –Luke 11:1-4
Luke simplifies Jesus’s instructions on how to pray compared to Matthew’s version—the one most of us memorized. The message is the same. It recognizes God’s supremacy and the great desire for his kingdom to become the standard for the world. He stresses the need for all people to be fed while forgiving those who are indebted to us.
Matthew writes the next line, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). Luke asked to not bring us to the time of trial or put us to the test in some versions. Theologians have long struggled with this, asking whether God could lead us into temptation or put us to the test. I have never gotten caught up in that fray as I think the world does enough to lead us astray that God does not need to waste time in that manner. I tend to sin more in areas of omission than commission, although I am capable of that also. My battles are pushing myself to do what is right when what is right is not accepted well in our culture. Going along to get along is the easy way out, and, anyway, how could my meager actions make a difference. I am then reminded of Margaret Mead’s quote, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. I am reminded of those all too human twelve disciples who followed Jesus’s instructions and changed the world.
Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage to do what is right. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.