Deliver Us from Evil

This is the summary of all our hope, our whole life of prayer wrapped up into one plea,

Deliver us from evil.

By Rev. David Petersen

Imagine going to school sick to your stomach every day, afraid of your cruel peers who tease and threaten you. Imagine eating and drinking nothing all day, listening to your stomach growl, growing lightheaded because of dehydration, being weak and ill, all so that you can avoid the bathroom. Why? Because of the terror that still resides in your heart after the horrible things that have happened to you there at the hands of your schoolmates. Imagine the teachers and staff, even your friends, turning a blind eye because those who are abusing you are beautiful, wealthy, and talented.

Some of you don’t have to imagine it. You live it. And those who don’t live with it directly, as victims or perpetrators, know about it. They know how predatory some kids can be, how cliquish high school is, how popularity equals power not only with peers, but also with adults. Terror as a weapon is not a new concept to teens.

The world is very evil. This evil is evident in school shootings, terrorism, and the havoc of divorce and parental unfaithfulness. But into this evil world entered our Lord, Jesus Christ.

“For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, no appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our grief He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we, ourselves, esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:2-5 NAS)

Jesus was not popular, beautiful, or wealthy. He was an outcast from birth. There was no room in the inn. He never “fit in”. He was despised, and rejected, a Man of sorrows acquainted with grief. He commands the wind and waves, holds all power and authority in the universe, but He became as the weakest, lowest, and most pitiful of men that He might suffer at the hands of the powerful, greedy, and self-absorbed. And so that our sins might be forgiven. So that we might be delivered out of this valley of sorrows and have perfect peace and joy in heaven. He subjected Himself to evil, suffered terror, that we might be delivered from it.

And so all these evil things around us—bullies, drug-pushers, indifferent teachers and pastors—are merely a remnant of a defeated enemy. They visit us with real pain and sorrow, but God uses it for good. In suffering, He draws us closer to Himself. He teaches us that He is our only hope, comfort, and safety. He strengthens our faith by making us dependent upon Him, by bringing us into the way He trod—the way of the cross.

In that way people with beauty, talent, or wealth often miss out. For they are often deceived by these things into false security and unbelief. But you, who are loved by your Father, are chastened, disciplined, and made stronger. But it will not last. Time is fleeting. Thanks be to God! Life, like high school, does not last forever. Enjoy the good things of this life (even high school) when and where they come, and be comforted in your difficulties by the certain truth that they shall soon end. Soon the last trumpet will sound. You will be relieved of these burdens, this temporal fear, and have perfect bliss in the security of heaven. And that, by Grace.

Thus we pray, with boldness and confidence, “Deliver us from evil!” And we know that He has. And we know that He will.

The Rev. David Petersen is pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.