Rescue Us from the Evil One

Before the Armenian Lord’s Prayer in the Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem.

We are living in heavy times. Wars. Rumors of wars. Images of suffering that stay in our minds long after we put our phones down. Countries are shaking. Families are worried. Many hearts feel restless. People are not only concerned about their own lives, but also about the kind of world we will leave for our children.

If you’re not careful, the storm around you will try to become a storm within you. The enemy will try to take what is happening externally and to plant it internally. He will turn headlines into heartache, uncertainty into panic, compassion into despair. A person can be deeply caring and yet feel crushed by fear. A person can be spiritually faithful and still feel overwhelmed.

Our Lord Jesus knew the world would go through difficult seasons. He knew there would be conflict and darkness. And He did not want that shaking to move into our souls. That is why He taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven… rescue us from the evil one.” When we pray, “rescue us from the evil one,” we are admitting that it is real and that we need God’s help.

Years ago, a rescue team was called to save a group of hikers trapped on a narrow mountain ridge. A storm had rolled in unexpectedly. The wind was fierce. The ground was slick. One wrong step and they would fall hundreds of feet.

The rescuers didn’t just shout instructions from a distance. They tied ropes around the hikers. And then, step by step, they led them across the most dangerous stretch. The hikers still had to walk. They still felt the wind. They still saw the drop beneath them. But they were not walking alone. They were secured. They were held.

That’s what the prayer does. It doesn’t deny the ridge exists. It doesn’t pretend the wind isn’t real. It simply says, “Father, tie me to You. Lead me. Keep me steady.” Prayer is not running away from reality. It is facing reality with faith.

In times like these, the world needs people who pray. Prayer is a quiet but strong act of resistance. Prayer is how we refuse the evil one’s agenda. Prayer is how we keep love alive. Prayer is how we stay human in an age that tries to make hearts cold.