Please Deliver
The Lord’s Prayer reminds us of our dependence and need for something, or really the great Someone, to step in change our situations when we cannot. Resting just beneath the surface of the prayer is the recognition that we face immovable situations more often than we like. Our prayer, in essence if not in substance, is a cry to God that he please deliver us from situations — whether large or small, frequent or infrequent, physical or spiritual — that we have no power to change. At the same time, we are asking God to align our hearts and actions with His work in the world through His reign of grace and glory, character and compassion.
As we pray today, let the act of prayer, the words of this prayer, and the essence of this prayer lead you back to dependence upon the Father and an humble recognition of the areas of your life where only God’s power can move you out of your stuck places and deliver you from your intractable ones.
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.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
My Heartlight.org article this week, Ain’t Nothin’ New, deals with these ideas and some spiritual practices that can help us align ourselves with God.
Bottom line: Life comes at us “fast” — yes, I know the adverb should be quickly — and we often feel as if we can’t keep up and yet can’t change the circumstances. For me, this old clip from the I Love Lucy show is a humorous reminder of this reality:
A much heavier but relevant way to emphasize this can be found in the Igniter Media video, This Weight I Carry, which you can preview online. Both remind us of the many overwhelming things in our lives that put us in bondage, stick us in a rut, and leave us powerless without God’s intervention.
As we think about these kinds of things, several thought questions seemed relevant:
What is your favorite “God story” — a story about God being at work in the lives of everyday people in Scripture.
- How did God “showing up” in their life change the situation?
- What is your favorite “God story” in your life?
- How did God “showing up” in your life change you even if the situation didn’t immediately change?
Think through the prayers you’ve prayed recently:
- Were you honest with God about your current situation in life, your struggles, your sins, and your frustration?
- Did you praise God for Who He is and what He has done in the past?
- Did you thank Him for the good things and the blessings in your life?
- Why do you think it is so important to be honest about our emotions in prayer with God?
Why do you think the Bible emphasizes that praise and thanksgiving are so important in prayer?
Who is a friend with whom you could share the deepest struggles of your heart?
- If you don’t have that kind of friend, who would be blessed by having you be this kind of friend to them?
What group would benefit from you being a part of their team — what volunteer group at church, in the community, at the hospital?
Dear Phil, Your article today was a blessing!! So many I know, myself included, are walking around dazed by the drama and hardship in their lives. We’re stuck in that “rut” you spoke of and you’re right, it’s hard to look past the moment. Praise GOD you offer some tools for enlightment. Praise GOD you send out a recipe, a perscription, for a more healthy outlook. I will follow your advice, and pass it on to those I know. Thank you for being a mentor for those of us “stuck” and struggling.
Sincerely, CindyJo
Cindy Johanneson
24 Sep 09 at 9:12 am
Phil, I probably say the Lord’s prayer each day. Each time it brings me not just to rely on God but also calls me to my responsibility. How can I expect God’s will do be done in this world without doing God’s will in my life? How can I chase after riches when I must rely on God for just basic needs? How can I ask God to deliver me from evil without making an effort to avoid temptation myself? It is interesting that this is the prayer that Christ gave as an example when we compare it to the many prayers we have heard. One of many other great reflections on this passage is that it certainly does not leave any room for us to boast. I hope that I will continue to meditate on this prayer daily.
Craig
Craig Lawson
24 Sep 09 at 2:19 pm
My favorite “God story” is Joseph (not my favorite Bible person, just my favorite story). He was torn from a father that adored him; had everything except respect of his brothers. Not only did he lose his home, mother and father, possessions; he suddenly went from master to slave – all this at the hands of those who should have protected him. Still, he continued to trust God and in each situation, rather than having a pity party, he worked as hard as he could. When he became king in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself and had the opportunity for revenge on his brothers, he instead told them (paraphrase), “God planned it that way, so I could save all of you.” He told them, \"it was not you who sent me here, but God.\"
Many times I have seen the same work of God in my life, when, by following Christ’s command to “love your enemies” things happened I could never have imagined. I realized He was using me to show His love to people who did not know Him.
This has taught me that no matter what Satan brings on, God is ALWAYS in control. Even if I don’t reach my human goals, it is what I do to bring Him glory that matters. In the end, it is giving my life to HIM that will make a difference; not whether people saw me as successful in an earthly way.
When troubles come my way, I thank God for Jesus. I realize that I deserve anything bad that happens – after all I am the one who sinned, not Christ, and He took “the hit” for me. EVEN IF Christ had not died for me, I would deserve anything bad that happened, because I am a sinner.
This makes me realize that anything GOOD I have is just a phenomenon of God’s love! It totally changes my outlook on life – instead of thinking I DESERVE good things and am cursed when I receive bad, I realize I DESERVE bad things and am totally blessed by God’s love when I receive good. It has created a thankfulness in my heart I cannot express – and that for Jesus Christ!
God the Father is the friend with whom I share my deepest struggles. I do have 2 great friends – like you and your brothers-in-law, we used to do everything together. (they called us the “Three Musketeers”). Unfortunately, right now, the one friend has a sister with parkinson’s to care for and the other a husband with an aneurysm. I try to do what I can, but my health has no been great, either. Still, we are there for each other when we can be and I have found that just like Joseph God has used the situation to cause me to reach out to other women who have needs.
We live in a community where the church is not strong. There are a lot of opportunities to volunteer in our county, but I believe I need to spend all the time I have on church work. In the end, that will make more difference for eternity!
Linda Hoeck
25 Sep 09 at 2:34 pm