Matthew 6:13: And do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one.

God,

Is it weird to pray about the final line of the Lord’s Prayer—the prayer that Jesus taught so that we would know how to pray, and not have to do off-the-cuff prayers like this? Is it weird to then put that prayer into writing? And is it weird to submit that written prayer as an article to the local newspaper?

I already know the answer to those questions. Yes, it’s weird. It’s totally weird. But whatever—I know that weirdness doesn’t get people kicked off of the Heavenly phone line. If it did, You wouldn’t take calls from anybody. So, here goes.

The idea that I have to ask You not to bring me to the time of trial troubles me, Lord. Is bringing people to trial part of Your job as God? I don’t think that it is. I mean, I know that You don’t make people sick or cause terrible things to happen in people’s lives to teach them lessons or to test their faith. Suffering is simply part of life. But I’d like some clarity, God. I’d like to better understand what Jesus meant when He offered this bit up as something to say to You, and I’d like to know what it does and doesn’t mean.

Rescue me from evil, Lord. As a Quaker, I tend to look for the holiness of Your world and for Your presence in it instead of focusing on evil. I am certainly not one of those people who believes that the devil is hiding behind every corner, just waiting to grab me. But evil does exist. I’d be in denial to say otherwise.

So, rescue me from violence, God. And help me to be a peacemaker. Rescue me from injustice. And empower me to create justice in the world. Rescue me from myself. And transform the judgmental and egotistical and generally unloving parts of my heart. Rescue me from the cyclical nature of sin and break that cycle for me. Rescue me and all of my neighbors from all of the things, God. Make us whole.

Be with us, God. Help us to pay attention. And spur us on to continue to ask the hard questions and to attempt to be faithful.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen.

Hannah Lutz is the pastor of Ada Chapel Friends Meeting in Wilmington, Ohio.