July 16 Deliver Us from Evil

Ezekiel 36:33-36 "Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.' 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it."

OUR lesson from Ezekiel yesterday focused around Jesus' first petition of what is known as the Lord's Prayer, written in Matthew 6:9-13. Today we center on the 7th and last petition from this prayer in Matthew 6:13 "Deliver us from evil." (Or some Bible translations say "Deliver us from the evil one.").

    The latter portion of Ezekiel 36 (I urge you to read it all.) is God's wondrous promise to do exactly what Jesus teaches us to pray. Out of his own grace and in his desire to restore the holiness of his name to all his earth, God will deliver his people out of their exile in evil Babylon.

    See the comforting, beautiful language of God's deliverance. Judah's cities and villages will again be filled with people. The land will be as the garden of Eden. God's presence will be with his people, and they will be with him.

    God did this for Israel so that he would glorify, he would exalt the power and the authority of his name before Israel and before all the nations.

    In his glory, God has graciously come to deliver his chosen people throughout all time in the person of Jesus and his Holy Spirit's quickening power. The Holy Trinity's deliverance from the evil of our world includes safe gospel-preaching churches to enter. He has formed Bible studies for you to gather with other delivered people to know his great love for you. He has taught you to pray, to spend time with him that evil will stay from your hearts. God has granted you the knowledge of Jesus Christ, that you will be delivered from evil forever.

    Pause today and consider the means God uses to especially deliver you, to keep you from evil. Is it a special friend? Is it five minutes a day with his Word? Is it a blessed time of music or hearing a sermon? Could his deliverance come to you in the ways you serve others for your Lord?

    God has graciously brought his Word to you in many ways. Consume what he gives to you and be delivered from sin.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that you have sent Jesus to deliver us the evil one's grasp. Thank you the Holy Spirit is here to protect us and teach us. Give us desires to know see your hand of deliverance in many ways each day. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.