The Lord’s Prayer VI

Title: The Lord’s Prayer VI
Speaker: Lead pastor
Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13
Summary by Freedom D.

Facing setbacks, meeting temptation — how do we laugh in the end? Peace is not easily kept.

The Lord’s Prayer is woven into life. It reminds us: bread and temptation are daily matters. What is temptation? From Old Testament to New, temptation is seen as coming from outside or from the devil — stumbling blocks meant to defeat us. Yet on reflection, in days when all goes well, do we really learn to appreciate calm seas?

In adversity, we face failure, loss of control, loss of advantage. Temptation then is like a crow that habitually circles overhead — affectionate during easy times, suddenly cawing now and trying to build its nest in our heart. Once we fall into temptation it is hard to escape; sunk in the mire, we are often furthest from God.

Therefore we need daily training to build resistance. By devotional practice we become aware of our own confusion and uncleanness; by the Spirit we are lifted to see clear sky beyond the clouds. Sustained practice lets us stay calm in setback, laugh in failure, and hear Jesus’s voice even in temptation. A simple, direct, fearless prayer takes less than a minute, but building the habit of nearness to God — before meals at morning, noon, and evening; before sleep; on waking; and at two set times such as 3 p.m. — depends entirely on our will.

Haste and impulse are devotion’s chief enemies. Only by deliberately slowing down, savouring the heart still beating and the breath still flowing, do we add more occasions to connect with the Lord in life. When temptation comes, perhaps we can sweep it aside in a moment of laughter.

Some complain that Jesus rose carefree to heaven, but the Easter eggs he left for us — have we looked carefully? Read the Lord’s Prayer again, you will be struck once more by its tidy structure, its deep teaching for disciples — and increasingly you will recognise its singular divinity.