June 5, 2025
Today’s Reading: Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer – The Sixth Petition
Daily Lectionary: Numbers 16:41-17:13; Numbers 18:1-19:22; Luke 20:1-18
“Lead us not into temptation.” (The Lord’s Prayer – The Sixth Petition)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
God doesn’t tempt us. Why would He? He doesn’t want us to sin. He suffered and died to free us from the power of sin and its consequences. He clearly doesn’t want us to sin.
As obvious as this seems, it’s still important to be reminded of this. If God did tempt us, then we’d try to blame Him every time we mess up and sin. That’s what Adam did. “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she deceived me and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). As if God were somehow responsible for their disobedience. How crazy!
God tempts no one. He doesn’t get any of the blame for our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. We get the blame. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14). Our own sinful hearts tempt us to doubt God’s Word and disobey His commands because that Old Adam is diametrically opposed to the things of God.
Of course, the devil and the sinful world play a part, too. The devil is all too familiar with your sinful desires, and he will inflame those desires by urging and enticing you to follow your Old Adam instead of God. The world who hates God is also there, beckoning us to join them in loving ourselves and the world more than God. They surround us with sights, sounds, and opportunities that our sinful nature would love to partake of.
We might say that temptations to sin come from everywhere but God! This is why Jesus teaches us to pray this petition. He knows that these temptations constantly surround us. He knows because He was “tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrew 4:15). During His earthly life, Jesus was tempted by the devil and the world, too. He knows how strong temptation can be. And He alone knows what is needed for us to overcome it.
So Jesus teaches and invites us to pray to the Father in His name, asking that God would lead us through temptation when it comes and keep us from falling. And with this invitation is the promise that He will send us aid. He promises to instruct us in His Word, to strengthen us with His Spirit, and to guard us with His holy angels. And, thankfully, He also promises to forgive us when we fail, graciously keep us as His beloved children, and grant us the final victory over sin on the Last Day.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
O God, who tempts no one to sin, guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our own sinful natures may not deceive us or lead us into false belief, despair, or other great shame and vice. And when we are attacked by these things, we pray that You would grant us to overcome them and win the victory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.
– Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.
Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.
Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God’s Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
