Do you find it easy to bear cross and tribulation? Probably not. Cross and tribulation smarts. We groan beneath it. It seems to us to be an evil; and in itself it is an evil with which we are visited because of sin. And now our dear Saviour Jesus Christ comes and bids us pray: "Deliver us from evil." The meaning of the petition is this: First, we should pray that God would keep many evils of body and soul, property and honour aloof from us, though we have well deserved them. Oh, and He does it! Secondly, we should pray that by His Holy Spirit God would help us to bear the cross which He imposes upon us for our benefit gladly and cheerfully, and that He would temper it, and soon take it from us, if such be His holy will. And, lastly, we should pray that finally, when our last hour has come, God would grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself in heaven. "There'll be no cross, no smarting, no death, no bitter parting." There we shall be fully delivered from every evil. Thus fortify yourself with this petition, my dear Christian, against every trouble, against the devil, against every evil, against tribulation, against alarm and disgrace, against sadness, woe, and lamentation, against sickness, pain, dismay, against dejection, care, and trepidation, against every evil day. And may the Father's gracious acceptance of your prayer always cast a comforting light upon your path, until the blessed light of heaven shall dawn upon you.