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The colors of our native cross represent the four major races ofhumankind – red, yellow, black and white. Together they comprisea cross, signifying that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected for allpeople.Lutheran Indian Ministries shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ withNative American Nations. God’s grace compels us to help build thecapacity of American Indians, Alaska Natives and First Nations peopleto impact their communities for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom.With you, we anticipate the joy when…“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitudethat no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. Theywere wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in theirhands. And they cried out in a loud voice:“Salvation belongs to our God,Who sits on the throne,And to the Lamb.”Rev. 7:9,102

FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 201 John 5:13 (ESV)Know What You’ve Got!“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of Godthat you may know that you have eternal life.”I had been joining Almon for regular Bible study for some time when,one day, he confided in me that he sometimes had doubts whether hewould go to heaven when he died.“After all,” he said, “I still sin sometimes.”I did my best to reassure him that Jesus always forgives him, butsome weeks later he still expressed uncertainty that he was truly boundfor heaven.A few days later, I was reading in 1 John and came across the verseabove. John had written his letter for the expressed purpose of assuringbelievers in Jesus that they have eternal life! I decided that if that’s whyJohn wrote his first letter, and that’s exactly what my friend, Almon,needed, then I ought to get these two together!So, for the next few months, Almon and I read through the letter ofJohn. I told him why John had written the book and that we should keepour eyes open for things that assured us that we had eternal life and wouldbe with Jesus when we died. And we found plenty of such assurances:“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may notsin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, JesusChrist the righteous” (2:1).“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for hisname’s sake” (2:12).“And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life” (2:25).After weeks of meditating of the words from John’s letter, Almon prayedthis prayer:Lord, thank You that when I get to heaven I will see You and spend eternitywith You. Thank You for all You did to save us. Amen.Rev. Mark PeskeBemidji, Minnesota6

SUNDAY • FEBRUARY 221 Peter 1:21 (NIV)Lord, Increase Our Faith“Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead andglorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”Recently I was asked if I would talk and pray with a lady who hadexperienced really horrible and extreme trauma. Upon meeting her, Inoticed that her whole demeanor was that of a badly abused and woundedperson. She was totally filled with deep-rooted bitterness and anger, somuch so that she was consumed by them and could not see past her currentsituation. I might add, she had good reason to feel this way.As I sat beside her, she started to share her story. Even though I hadjust met her, she felt she could open up to me. I found myself at a loss forwords as she continued talking. Then she said, “Even God wouldn’t wantto help me,” which left a sting in my ears.My first instinct was to “defend” God, but the Holy Spirit held mytongue until she finished her story. Afterward, I asked if I could pray withher and she agreed. During our prayer, tears began to fall from her eyes—very gently at first—and then the tears turned into sobs, followed by herasking forgiveness for having doubted God.How many times is our faith put to the test? Whether it’s because welack trust or are fearful and lose hope as we look for the worst in everysituation, our lack of faith can cripple us until we are unable to moveforward. We can even get to the point that we may think “even Godwouldn’t (or couldn’t) help” us.In talking and praying with this woman, the Holy Spirit gave hera measure of faith to tell her story to a stranger and acknowledge thatshe needed Jesus to help her survive another day. Even though she stillstruggles with the things that happened to her, she is growing and gettingstronger in the Lord each day. God is peeling off the layers of hatred,anger and bitterness and replacing them with faith, hope, love and joy.During this time of Lent, let us focus on the Author and Perfecter ofour faith, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!Father God, thank You for sending Your only Son, Jesus, to take awayour sin and shame so that we may walk upright before You. In Your holyname, Amen.Deaconess Cathy Benzler (Cherokee)Olympic Peninsula, Washington8

MONDAY • FEBRUARY 23Mark 10:33-34 (ESV)The Path of Life Runs in andOut Of Darkness“ … And after three days he will rise” (v. 34b).Jesus set an amazing example of how we, His followers, need to understandthe will of God in our lives and how to face and embrace life in that way. Daysbefore His death, He prepared His disciples by saying, “See, we are going up toJerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests andscribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentilesto be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day”(Luke 18:31-33).Jesus knew He was going to die. He knew He was going to be flogged,mocked and spit upon leading up to His crucifixion. This was the path for Himthat was in the will of God. Yet, shortly before His death, He was troubled. InJohn 12:27-28, He said, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father,save me from this hour?’ No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.Father, glorify your name.”Furthermore, on the day of His crucifixion, He felt forsaken by God andHe cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).Another word for forsaken is abandoned. Not only did Jesus feel troubled bywhat was ahead of Him, He felt abandoned by God as He lived out the very centralpart of God’s will for Him.These passages have spoken to me, especially in the last few years. Therehave been times I felt troubled by the circumstances Rick and I faced—morerecently with Rick’s eye injury. It was an eye injury that left us hanging for sixweeks, troubled by unanswered questions. As I read these passages on the experiencesof Jesus, I was reminded again that to be in the will of God includedpersonal experiences of feeling troubled by circumstances and feeling abandonedby God. Dan Allender in his book, The Healing Path, writes, “The path of liferuns in and out of darkness, confusion, uncertainty, loss, and heartache. …” Iwas reminded that the path of life and being in the will of God includes troublingexperiences.The Scripture references above end with this declaration, “… and after threedays he will rise”! This was a promise from Jesus. Our hope is in this promisethat Jesus is still God as we each may face troubling circumstances. We are stillin the path of life and in the will of God during these times.In this Lent season, may you be reminded and encouraged in a new way thatyou are still in the will of God, even if at times it may feel very troubling.Heavenly Father, please grant us assurance that we will be okay as life, at times,seems very troubling. We ask for faith to believe that You are still God and stillin control. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.Linda Martin (Cree)Winnipeg, Canada9

TUESDAY • FEBRUARY 241 Peter 3:18-20 (ESV)Been There, Done That“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive inthe spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because theyformerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, whilethe ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were broughtsafely through water.”A visit to any reservation in the United States can be a depressing experiencefor those who come from the suburbs or a small town elsewhere. Extreme levelsof poverty, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, and violent crime are all factsof life on the 310 reservations in our country. The Navajo reservation where Iserve is no exception. Many Natives live in hell on earth. We Christians are leftto wonder, “How can I share the Good News with those who have suffered somuch trauma?”Although many false teachers have taken the tactic of promising a betterfuture on earth without suffering (on the condition of a robust faith), God’s Wordconfronts us with something different. We read that Christ went to the spirits inprison, what our church has believed, taught and confessed as His descent intohell (Apostles’ Creed, second article). He went to the very worst place imaginable,worse than any reservation, because there the suffering never ends, and Hepreached—or announced—His victory.So, where’s the good news? The Good News is that we have a God whounderstands the worst humanity has to offer. We have a God who took on fleshand suffered “the righteous for the unrighteous.” We have a God who descendedinto hell. He has ‘been there, done that,’ and now He is raising up those whohave gone through difficult times to minister to their own.One of the members of our congregation who once struggled with alcoholism(but has been delivered by God’s grace) shared his testimony with another youngman going through the same trials. He said, “What Christ has done for me, He’salso done for you, just don’t be stubborn and refuse it!”Yes, there is Good News in what may appear to be hopeless but, in God’ssight, it is a field ripe for the harvest!Heavenly Father, thank You for the Good News of the Gospel, that throughJesus’ life, death and resurrection, we can rejoice in His victory. Prepare ourhearts and lives to help in the harvest for the sake of His Kingdom, which has noend. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Tim NortonNavajo, New Mexico10

“And the Gospel must first be preached to all Nations.”Mark 13:10God’s grace compels us to help build the capacity of NativeAmerican’stoimpacttheircommunitiesforthesakeofChrist’sKingdom.At Lutheran Indian Ministries, our focus is to identify, recruit,equip and empower Native people for ministry in their communities.Thus our ministry of help, healing and sharing thehope of the Gospel to Native Americans can be carried out byan increasing number of clergy and lay leader field staff who areAmerican Indian and Native Alaskan. They know what it’s liketo be both Christian and Native American. They know whatNative Americans face because they themselves have confrontedthe same brokenness and wounding that has resulted frommany years of neglect, forced change and the isolatingreservation system.And these Native clergy and lay leaders often use traditionallanguages, music and stories to share Christ’s message of love,compassion and redemption.Bible studies, workshops and leadership training are designedspecifically to encourage, enable and equip Native believers to notonly take ownership of their Christian faith, but to take it to therest of the world, and especially to their own people.Instability resulting from centuries of culture clashes andneglect now translatesinto alcohol and substanceabuse, high ratesof suicide, and generationsof poverty — acurse passed on fromgeneration to generationto individuals and entirecommunities.Add to these the factthat our mission fields aretypically hard to reach —11Continued on page 12

Christ’s Kingdom. Every Native American Nationboth physically and spiritually.And today it is estimated that less than 5% of Native Americanpeople know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.You Lift the BowlIn Matthew 5, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. Acity on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp andput it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it giveslight to everyone in the house.”The generosity and faithful prayer support of caringChristians like you is what makes the ministry of the LutheranIndian Ministries possible. You lift the bowl and uncover theLight of Life found only in Christ for all Native people to see.You help to put it on the stand to give light to all the “houses”of every Native American tribe and nation.Please consider providing a generous gift of support todayto help us continue shining the life-changing light of Christ’slove into the hearts of Native Americans.12

WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 25Romans 12:14, 17-21 (ESV)The Temptation to Avenge Ourselves“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. …Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in thesight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably withall. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, forit is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary,‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him somethingto drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”The temptation to avenge ourselves is a powerful condition of ourbroken old nature. It is such a hard lesson to learn to give place to God’sdealings. When I defend myself and allow resentment to fester, I onlywatch as the well of my life is poisoned. I have heard it said, “If youdefend yourself, then the Lord can’t defend you.”Those who seek revenge are conquered by it and those who forgiveare conquerors. Author C.S. Lewis made this interesting statement whenhe wrote, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they havesomething to forgive.”Forgiveness can break the cycle of retaliation. Forgiveness leadsto reconciliation. Forgiving will free us of a heavy load of bitterness.Repaying evil for evil hurts us just as much or more than it hurts ourenemy.As God’s children, we are called to live on the highest level. Anyonecan return good for good and evil for evil.When we rest in God’s great work on our behalf and bless the personhard to love and live with, we grow more deeply in God’s grace and gaina greater appreciation for what Jesus did for us at the cross.Father, I am so hurt because of what has recently happened. I confess myanger and resentment. Help me to truly bless my enemy, my difficult personto love. Amen.Winston Wilson (Cowlitz)Neah Bay, Washington13

THURSDAY • FEBRUARY 26Matthew 4:8-10 (ESV)The One and Only True King“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed himall the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘Allthese things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me’. ThenJesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worshipthe Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”In this temptation our Lord was offered the world and to become itsking. What is also included in this offer from Satan was status, significancefrom the people of the world. Jesus could have received anythingHis heart desired according to the devil.So many times in life this same temptation presents itself to us in oneform or another. Human nature craves and desires to be sought after andhave people come to them for their advice and opinion. We would love tohave it all and the glory that comes with it, right in the palm of our hand.Jesus could have had it all if He would have worshiped Satan. Butthank the Lord that Jesus did not define life by this world or by personalsignificance. Thank the Lord He resisted temptation for us!Ironically, by Jesus resisting this temptation rather than giving into it,He proves He was already the One and only true King!This Lent season I reflect on the times I have failed to resist temptationand the need to repent. This Lent season, I thank Jesus that He is theonly One Who can take this sin from me and create a right spirit withinme.Lord, I thank You for Your guidance and holy Word to show me how toserve only You. Amen.Bob Prue (Rosebud Sioux)Lawrence, Kansas14

FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 27Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)Rewards and Punishments“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falselysay all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad,because great is your reward in heaven. …”A big part of our work at Lutheran Indian Ministries is to teachNative believers all they need to thrive and be fruitful in their service toJesus Christ.Recently, I was going through Scripture to teach one Native brotherthe difference between health and healing. Healing is a gift God gives us,I told him, but health is the result of our disciplined care of our body.“I know that’s true,” he said. “And I know I’ve got to start gettingsome exercise and lose weight or it’s going to kill me” (This brotherweighs about 290 pounds). So, we agreed to meet at the tribal fitness clubduring his lunch hour to help him get started with an exercise routine.In the next days, I found myself strongly hoping he would stick withthe exercise program so he could reap the benefits of reduced weight andimproved health. I realized even God would not take off the extra weightfor him.For all of us, we are saved totally by God’s grace, but certain thingsin this life still just take a lot of work, and we’ll reap the rewards only ifwe do it! Jesus got rid of our punishments (“The punishment that broughtus peace was upon him!” Isaiah 53:5), but not our rewards. In fact,He said, “The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory withhis angels, and then he will reward each person for what he has done”(Matthew 16:27).Jesus promises to reward us for our prayers, fasting and gifts to thepoor (Matthew 6). In fact, even a cup of cold water given to help anotherdisciple will not go unrewarded (v. 10).Jesus, help us work hard for the things that will bring us a reward fromYou, all of which is to Your glory, Amen.Rev. Mark PeskeBemidji, Minnesota15

SATURDAY • FEBRUARY 28Luke 24:30-31 (NIV)Breaking of Bread“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks,broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened andthey recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”How many times when we meet someone new do we express theidea of meeting for lunch just to get to know each other? When we invitesomeone for meal, we want to take time to build a relationship with thatperson.Having a meal is great because we get to know each other in anew and personal way. We laugh, we listen and we enjoy each other’scompany. We share our ups and downs and the conversations are so fullof life, especially if we share the Word of God! Sometimes it’s hard toleave the conversation because we’re so encouraged.In today’s passage, Jesus meets two of His disciples along the roadto Emmaus. He listens to them because they were traumatized by Hisdeath on the cross and then they learned that He was no longer in thetomb. Jesus asked them questions about what happened and He listens.Then, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,” the Bible says, “heexplained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself”(v. 27).The disciples must have felt they found a new friend in this strangerWho they didn’t know was Jesus. They did not want Him to leave andinvited Him to stay over. They were greatly encouraged by all that Hespoke about.Then the Bible tells us that Jesus “took bread, gave thanks, broke itand began to give it them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognizedhim” (vv. 30-31).Lord, open our eyes that we may see You in this new season, even as wego through storms. Thank You, Jesus, for shedding Your blood for oursins and bringing us into this new covenant with You. Like the discipleson the road to Emmaus, may Your Holy Spirit continue to teach us YourWord so we can draw closer to You. Amen.Patricia Main (Cree)Lawrence, Kansas16

SUNDAY • MARCH 1Matthew 18:3 (NIV)Hope of a Child“And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become likelittle children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”This year, our 4-year-old granddaughter was old enough to attendvacation Bible school (VBS). Cathy and I were able to take her to FaithLutheran where we helped out with the preschool children. Our group wasone of three groups of children ages 3 to 5, and I can tell you they are afun age to be with, but they kept us very busy. Some might tend to thinkthat VBS is not that important, but the children really do learn a lot.In the Kingdom of God, along with Holy Baptism, it is important forour children to grow up knowing the Word of God. The main focus at thisyear’s VBS was that Jesus loves us even when we are wrong, do somethingwe shouldn’t, or don’t treat others as we should and that we are allmade different.For children and youth, this is a good message for them to hear. Theywill all go through a period in their lives when they don’t feel loved oraccepted. In their teenage years because of all of the changes taking placein their lives, they tend to feel even less secure.On Native American reservations, children and youth have even moreobstacles to overcome than perhaps families elsewhere. On most reservations,the number of children living in a home with two parents is verylow. Many children and youth are raised by their grandparents (usuallya grandmother) or an aunt or uncle. Many are removed from their homesaltogether because of bad living conditions. Many of the people live inpoverty and unhealthy environments.One of the advantages Native Americans living on the reservationshave over people living in town is that Native communities come togetherand reach out and help each other as they are able.If we didn’t have Jesus in our lives, we wouldn’t experience hope—hope that does not disappoint. Jesus Christ redeemed us from sin anddeath through His sacrifice for us, and because of His love we now havehope and eternal life.Thank You, Lord, for loving us and receiving us as Your children. InJesus’ name, Amen.Deacon Tom Benzler (Ioway)Olympic Peninsula, Washington17

MONDAY • MARCH 2John 11:25-26 (ESV)I’ll See You Again Some Time“… I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though hedie, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. …”Rosemary Sternbeck and I, along with our volunteer team, were flying toPoint Hope, Alaska, to spend a week in vacation Bible school (VBS) with thechildren. En route, the weather turned on us, so the pilot flew us to Kotzebue towait for the fog to lift.My Inupiat Eskimo great-grandmother is buried in Kotzebue. I have family Ihad never met before who have always lived there. So, I called them.“You’re here now?!” Dan asked, surprised. A person just doesn’t wind up inKotzebue—especially a Midwesterner. Situated above the Arctic Circle along theBering Sea, an unplanned stopover is surely a “God thing,” our volunteer teamexclaimed.Dan and his wife, Elaine, came to the airport to greet us. I was delightedto realize just how much he resembled my grandfather. He asked the pilot if hecould introduce me to others in our family, so I had one precious hour to meetmy people.One relative, Rev. Johnny Snyder, was in hospice care, so we went to visithim and his wife first. Johnny shared his memories of my grandpa and thankedme for bringing VBS to the children in neighboring villages. Then he asked if Iwould pray with them. Yes, of course, so I began, “Dear heavenly Father …”Then, unexpectedly, all four of my Inupiat Eskimo relatives began prayingaloud with me, each in the Inupiaq language.Tears filled my eyes. I grasped Johnny’s hand and listened to their voicesand to a language that streamed through my blood but was nonetheless foreign tome. More than that, their Christian witness washed over me. I was in such awe oftheir humility that I would have rather never left that moment.I stopped praying just so I could listen and count it a blessing to be in theirpresence before God in prayer. Then, one by one, they ended their petitions, eachwiping away their own tears. Only Johnny continued to pray, by now in English.He did not pray for his healing but for the well being of others. He also prayedwith thanksgiving for our forgiveness and the promise of eternal life won for usin the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Savior.When I think of Johnny in heaven today, I find myself uttering a phrase inInupiaq that sounds similar to Kin-yell-see-pin ye-YAUT-nee, meaning, “I’ll seeyou again some time.”Dear Jesus, thank You for the forgiveness we have through Your shed blood,death and resurrection. We eagerly await eternal life with You and all our lovedones! In Your name we pray, Amen.Karen Higgins (Alaska Native)Barnhart, Missouri18

TUESDAY • MARCH 3Proverbs 3:6 (KJV)Every Gift Large and Small“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”This was the second year our team from North Carolina had traveledto Alaska to finish repairs being made to the mission house in the villageof Fort Yukon. After a full week of working 10-hour days, time wasrunning out before they would need to gather all of their tools and catchthe small plane back to Fairbanks and on home. On the last day of theirlabor, all that was missing to complete a project was a small part needed tofinish the plumbing on a bathroom sink.As it turned out, the part could not be found anywhere in Fairbanksand with time running out, one of the team members shook his head andsaid, “Only God can help us now.”It so happened that the men were walking by a pile of discarded itemsduring this conversation. There, on the ground among the trash, was a sinkwith the very part the team needed! With just a few hours to spare, theywere able to complete the project.When we recognize God’s work in all of our days, we come to see thatHe is not slow, rather, He is right on time to care for our needs. ThroughJesus’ death and resurrection, He has taken care of our past, present andfuture. Through His shed blood, we are cleansed of our past sin, kept infaith in the present and sealed to Him in the eternities.What a blessing it is to remember our Baptism, participate inconfession and absolution and receive His body and blood through HolyCommunion! As we await for His triumphant return, we can relax in Hisloving care and enjoy the daily blessings both large and small.Father, with grateful hearts we thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus.Help us each day to recognize Your love and care for us as we await Hisreturn. Amen.Rosemary SternbeckFairbanks, Alaska19

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 4Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)God’s Idea“… He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousandgenerations of those who love him and keep his commands.”“Where did you come from?” we might ask a new arrival at ourhome.“Where is he coming from?” is something we might think about aperson who doesn’t seem to have his act together.For all societies, there is the haunting question of the point of origin:“Where did we come from?”There are a lot of answers proposed, but the one that makes sense isrecorded in Genesis 1: In the beginning God created. But God didn’t stopthere. When mankind sinned, God sought and found lost mankind andpromised and provided a Savior in Jesus Christ.In the beginning, we were God’s idea. All of us were God’s idea. TheNative communities in North America have had a good handle on thatthrough the centuries, even before they were “Christianized.” Now theynot only know their point of origin, they also know their destiny. Alongwith other Christians they can say, “Heaven is my home.”There is a strong point here for consideration. We not only are God’sidea, we are God’s by creation and by redemption through the blood ofJesus Christ. Look deeply into the face of every human being, see hiseyes, touch his hands, and though they appear to be distant relatives, theyare not. God has no cousins, only children.Terry Dittmer wrote a great song titled, “Brothers and Sisters inChrist,” that makes the biblical point that we are all one in Christ and alsothat nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord(Romans 8:38-39).O God, You are our Father, having birthed us into existence in this worldand You are our Father, having redeemed us from sin and death and hell.Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we might see of our fellow believers thatwe are all one in Christ Jesus. In His name we pray, Amen.Rev. Layton Lemke (Ret.)Former Board Member and VolunteerNorwood Young America, Minnesota20

THURSDAY • MARCH 51 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)The Greatest of These Is Love“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatestof these is love.”I have struggled recently with having spent 15 years working withsome people and loving them but seeing few changes in behaviors thatonly hurt them and others around them. No matter what I try, even toughlove, I just can’t seem to fix them.Then I heard a missionary from the inner city speak at a recent conference.He, too, struggles with loving with all his heart but not seeingresults. Then, he and his wife took in a man they had known for yearsbecause they learned he was dying and had nowhere except a flop houseto live in. They spent that first evening praying to God about what theysaw as their failure with him. They asked God, “Why can’t we changehim?” And then they realized that God didn’t expect them to change him,only to love him.Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us when He left this world. He alonechanges people. He alone saves them, not us. So, we can relax. The hardwork is His. We are called to believe, to hope in Christ and to love.Lord, You are the One I need to give hurting people to. Help me rememberto love them no matter what their issues and then step back and letYou do the hard work. Amen.Deaconess Sheila PetersonClouquet, Minnesota21

FRIDAY • MARCH 6Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)The Gift of Hospitality“Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who havedone this have entertained angels without realizing it!”Patricia and I enjoy practicing hospitality. We realize that our Guest,the Beloved, dwells always within and fills every fiber of our being.While we may not anticipate unexpected difficulty or disappointment, wecan still attend to the ways of hospitality.In the ancient world, strangers and visitors at your door were treatedwith the utmost respect. It was believed the gods made their visits posingas strangers. The ability to greet them in a good way with a smile in allcircumstances requires us to observe the first of the ancient traditions—the gift of hospitality.A good host simply will not ignore the presence of an honoredguest in the home but wants to visit and to take care of their every need.Hospitality requires that you don’t stay busy with the normal householdduties, ignoring the presence of your guest. When duties actually dorequire your attention, we joyfully adapt to accommodate the guest in ourhome.When was the last time you entertained visitors in your house? Didyou observe the ritual of hospitality? If you did, congratulate yourself forbeing a good host. If you didn’t, resolve that the next time you open yourdoor to another, you will be more mindful of your guest.Father, we thank You for the gift of hospitality and pray that You alwayshelp us to keep our home and hearts open to unexpected guests that Youmay send our way. We pray we will always be ready in our hearts toserve. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.Rev. Will Main (Sioux)Lawrence, Kansas22

SATURDAY • MARCH 7Psalm 51:16-17 (NIV)A Broken Heart He will Not Despise“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not takepleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; abroken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”I have found the words from the above passage to be very comforting.I have often found myself in a place where I go to God with a senseof brokenness and with nothing to offer to Him and that I have messed upagain. It is a place that I have found myself often.Alan E. Nelson, in his book, Embracing Brokenness, talks about whatcan lead to brokenness—a brokenness that leads to a place where we lookto God, and see God. One of the points he makes is that it is the threateningcircumstances in our lives that promote brokenness such as death,divorce, loss of a job, loss of financial security, etc. These crisis-orientedcircumstances make us realize that we are not in control.In my situation it would be the demands, expectations, both perceivedand legitimate; obligations, again, both perceived and legitimate; andtasks of the ministry that threaten to overwhelm me. I have been learningthat this is when I need to pull back and seek God.Many times I find myself running with my own ideas and my ownagenda, resulting in anxiety and exhaustion. I discover once again thatI had lost sight that what we are doing is from God. Empty handed andrealizing that I have nothing of my own that I can bring to my God … justmy broken and empty heart.Yet, it is the words at the end of these two passages that always speakto me. They assure me that my God is looking for and will accept a heartthat is broken and contrite. So, I will stay there until I get my bearingsagain. Then I will get up again and go on, knowing that God embracesand accepts me.Dear Father in heaven, once again, I come because of Who You are, andwhat You have done through Jesus. I say “Meegwetch,” (Thank You)for embracing and accepting me, and for not giving up on me. In Jesus’name, Amen.Linda Martin (Cree)Manitoba Canada23

SUNDAY • MARCH 8Isaiah 42:6 (ESV)The Preserving Power of Our God“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand andkeep you. …”Not so long ago I celebrated a very special birthday. I was born on a warm summer’safternoon at a football stadium. No, it wasn’t one of those it’s too late to get to the hospitalkind of births that sometimes happen to expectant moms. I was already 16 years old;almost an adult; but not yet a Christian. And that is why the celebration of my birth wasso important; it meant that I was born again. God had called me to a relationship with Himbased not on my goodness but His graciousness and righteousness.My spiritual birth took place midway up the stadium steps of a small football stadiumin Seattle, Washington, when the Holy Spirit began to call on me. I remember theinvitation given by the famed evangelist, Billy Graham, to receive Jesus as my Savior. Hereminded all of us in the stadium on that day that Jesus would forgive all our sins and thatHe would make us His children. “Don’t wait,” he reminded us. “You may not hear Hisvoice as clearly as you hear it now.”I almost decided to turn the invitation down that day. I was not sure I needed Jesusfor my life. To be sure, even as a young man, I was burdened with many concerns, not theleast of which was my fear mounting from the realization that I was living in a world thatseemed dangerous and out of control. But I am so glad that the Holy Spirit kept calling myname that day.Finally, in response to Billy Graham’s invitation, I prayed to receive Jesus as mySavior. I sensed almost immediately that something had changed in me. It was like a burdenhad been lifted and suddenly I had become someone new. More importantly, I sensedthat I was now a child of God. The Son-light of Jesus was now illuminating my dark pastwith hope and God purpose.A lot of years have passed since that momentous July afternoon. I had gone on toschool to become a pastor, was married, eventually served as an elected tribal leader,earned my doctorate and now serve as the director of Lutheran Indian Ministries. I facedmany challenges and setbacks along the way toward these achievements. Through themall, I became a better, more useful servant of God—eventually learning leadership skills aswell as patience.In my leadership role of the ministry I serve, I am passionate about sharing the loveof Jesus, His death in our place and resurrection power with others. But none of thesewould be possible were it not for the graciousness of God in calling me to faith in the firstplace and then preserving me for service in His Kingdom.This, then, is the truth that I have discovered. We serve a God Who not only calls usto righteousness but One Who gives us that righteousness as our own and Who then preservesus to serve Him. Ultimately, His preservation will lead us to be in His eternal presencein His heavenly Kingdom.Let us rejoice in the One Whom the Father has sent to be our Savior and Lord. Heis Jesus. He came into our world, served among us and died for our sins. He was made tocome alive again so that we might have life in the here and now and life everlasting.Dear God and Father, we give You thanks and praise for calling us to be Your children,filling us with Your righteousness and preserving us to serve You. In Jesus our Savior,Who makes this all possible. Amen.Rev. Dr. Don Johnson (Makah)Hudson, Wisconsin24

MONDAY • MARCH 9Psalm 46:10 (NLT)Be Still and See“Be silent, and know that I am God.”As I lay still for days on end, I could not know the outcome. This was a timein my life like no other. Not once in my life had I been required to stay still forsix weeks. If I did not follow orders, I may lose my left eye. I had already lostmuch of the sight in my right eye due to a previous hockey injury. This time,I was ordered by the surgeon to take extreme caution. I could not lift anythingover two pounds and I needed to be as still as possible while I healed. I was evenordered not to sing!Singing has often been a lifeline. It lifts my soul in ways that nothing elsecan. I often think of David of the Psalms and how he found solace in songs.Often in difficult times, I sing and play guitar. There were even several musicconcerts I had to cancel out on with our band because of this injury.Many times I have bumped into the verse in Psalm 46:10. The NewInternational Version puts it this way, “Be still, and know that I am God.” TheNew Living Translation is much more direct. It commands. “Be silent, and knowthat I am God!”Being silent before God turned out to be a very special time. Although I listenedto music and to speakers, most of all I was silent for days before God. Thiswas a new experience for me. I learned things that I could not have learned inany other way.At first, I almost wanted to argue with God that it didn’t seem fair I hurt myeye while I was serving Him! But I think He was reminding me that sometimesHe is more interested in my “being” than in my “doing.” This experience callsme to encourage others to make sure they take Psalm 46:10 to heart.God wants to be in relationship with us, which means spending time withjust Him. And if we somehow just can’t stop to be still and silent with Him, Hehas ways of working this out as He did with me by allowing my eye injury, butalways for our good, that we may know Him all the more.Be encouraged this Lent season. Heed God’s call. Just be with Him and Himalone. It is life changing. In more than one way my eyes were opened!Dear Lord, help us to understand that Your work on the cross is complete andthat nothing we can do can make it more complete. Help me, Lord, to just be withYou to “see” Your grace and to “see” what You have done for me, not worryingabout all the things I think You want me to ”do” for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Rick MartinManitoba Canada25

TUESDAY • MARCH 10Psalm 126:2-4 (NIV)Return and Restore“… Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things forthem.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restoreour fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.”This year has brought the Elwha Klallam Tribe many happy returns. I wantto share two of them.Dams were built in 1912 and 1927 to provide electricity to this area. In doingso, they didn’t think to put in fish ladders for the salmon, resulting in cutting offthe tribe’s primary food source as well as disrupting other elements in nature’sbalance.In 2011, the tribe won the right to tear down the dams and thus began thenation’s largest river restoration project in history. This project has been carriedout in layers. Recently, the last 30 feet of the river’s last dam had been blastedaway. Within a week, the first sighting of Chinook Salmon was noted (a big one,I might add) and further investigation proved more salmon were waiting in thewaters. Thanks be to God!In July, we celebrated the return of about 80,000 artifacts that were unearthedin 2003 from Tse-Whit-Zen village. Tse-Whit-Zen means “Inner Harbor” in theKlallam language. During a dig in 2003, a whole village was uncovered andremains and artifacts were dated back some 2,700 years. The artifacts had beenstored and shared in Seattle since their discovery. Along with this return, Tse-Whit-Zen’s village and cemetery were officially signed by the Advisory Councilfor Historic Preservation of the National Registry of Historic Places. This makesTse-Whit-Zen one of the most significant archaeological and cultural places inWashington State history.We celebrated a happy homecoming of these precious artifacts. They revealso much about our Native People who lived HERE on THIS LAND so manyyears ago even while biblical history was unfolding in the Middle East.I am sharing this to show you that we always need hope. We place our hopein Christ Jesus. His death and resurrection not only paid the price of our sin, butHe restored us to the Father, including the culture of ALL people. 1 Peter 1:3-4says, “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through theresurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can neverperish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you.”Gracious Lord, You alone can save us, restore us and return us to Yourself.There are no other means to receive Your greatest gift of life but through Yourgrace. Thank You, Jesus. In Your holy name, Amen.Deaconess Cathy Benzler (Cherokee)Olympic Peninsula, Washington26

Rev. DennisBauerNorthernCheyenneReservationLame Deer, MTLouise LeeNavajoNavajoReservationNavajo, NMRev. Dr.Don JohnsonMakahHudson, WIRev. MarkPeskeLeech LakeBand of OjibweBemidji, MNRev. Mark E. SchummOneida NationOneida, WIClarenceDe Lude IIINative HawaiianMakaha, HIRev. RickyJacobWinnebagoReservationWinnebago, NERev. AndrewUtechtRosebudReservationRosebud, SDBob PrueRosebud SiouxLawrence, KSRev. Albert Sutton(SMP)Pine Ridge ReservationRapid City, SDKarenHigginsAlaska NativeSaint Louis, MORev. DanJacobsCrow IndianReservationCrow Agency,MTSheilaPetersonFond du LacReservationCloquet, MNRev. ParkTimberNorthern CheyenneNorthern CheyenneReservationLame Deer, MTRobin SantosTohono O’odham NationHaskell LIGHTCampus MinistryLawrence, KSDeacon Tom &Deaconess CathyBenzlerIoway /CherokeePort Angeles, WARev. Will &Patricia MainSioux/CreeHaskell LIGHTCampus MinistryLawrence, KSRick & Linda MartinCreeNiverville, ManitobaRev. Dave &Rosemary SternbeckNuu-chah-nulthFairbanks, AKTim & Heidi NortonNavajoReservationNavajo, NMWinston &Connie WilsonCowlitzNeah Bay, WA3525 North 124th Street, Suite 1 • Brookfield, WI 53005-2498 • 888-783-5267 • LutheranIndianMinistries.org Facebook.com/IndianMinistry Twitter.com/IndianMinistry

THURSDAY • MARCH 12John 3:3 (ESV)An Encounter with the Living Word“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is bornagain he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”Lent is a time of reflection. The reflection of our lives in light of Hislife. The living Word dwelling in our sinful flesh. His journey, walking ourpath of lost-ness, taking it all to the cross so we can be restored to a rightrelationship with our heavenly Father.Have you ever been sure that you knew something without question?You saw it with your own eyes. You felt the pain of it in your memory. Iwas in a car accident about 20 years ago. A man in a Dodge pickup ran astop sign and hit the passenger side of our truck. I woke up in the hospitaland was, with absolute clarity, certain we had been hit on the driver’s sideby a man driving a Ford truck. Although my memory was pinpoint clear, Iwas nearly dead wrong. To this day that is how I remember the incident.In our Scripture lesson today, Nicodemus is certain he understandsGod’s Kingdom. He has studied under the best Jewish minds his entirelife. But, somehow, in the light of this man Jesus and His journey towardthe cross, he senses that all he believes to be true is somehow flawed.Nicodemus with his physical sight, with his finite mind apart from faith,could not see the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells him he must be born again!Nicodemus has an encounter with the Living Word and hears theGospel. You must be born of water. God so loves you, Nicodemus, thatHe gives His Son’s life in exchange for yours. You must be born again,Nicodemus.As we revisit, during Lent, the journey to the cross that saves us, weencounter the Living Word and see our lives in the light of His. ThroughHis Word and through His Sacraments, we receive faith to see theKingdom of God. In repentance, we are absolved from our sin and given tosee the life that can only found in Him.Lord, forgive us for the sin that blinds us and keeps us from Your presence.Forgive us and renew us so that we may see Your Kingdom. Amen.Rev. David Sternbeck (Nuu-chah-nulth)Fairbanks, Alaska30

FRIDAY • MARCH 13Romans 5:10 (ESV)Anthropology for Dummies“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by thedeath of his Son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we besaved by his life.”This past summer, Clarence De Lude III, Lutheran Indian Ministries’missionary in Hawaii, and I took classes at Concordia University inIrvine, Calif., and had the privilege of meeting Dr. Jack Schultz, aChristian anthropology professor. As it happens, Dr. Schultz is an expertin Native American studies and did his doctoral thesis on the Seminoletribe (relocated to Oklahoma). Dr. Schultz also spent a summer in Navajoback in the late 70s.Anthropologic literature fills up libraries in universities, but God’sWord helps us to see our place as humans in one sentence. All of us—every nation, every tongue, every tribe—were God’s enemies. This enmity,as in many conflicts, was a two-way street. We were disobedient toGod, and He was ready to pour out His wrath on us (Romans 1:18). Evenduring that state of hostility, God sent Jesus Christ to take up the punishmentthat was due all of us. God Himself ended the fight!The theme of two warring parties coming together in peace comes upmore than once in Scripture, especially in the apostle Paul’s letters. Theframe of the image is God’s great work of reconciliation between Himselfand a sinful humanity; but that work of love spills over into our relationshipswith other people.As we at Lutheran Indian Ministries strive to raise up Native leaders,we work to form men and women who can be ambassadors of God’s reconcilingwork both between Himself and humanity and between peoples.This past summer we had an opportunity to put those words into practice.A group of five men from Navajo journeyed to Old Minto, Alaska.We shared God’s Word with the Athabascan Alaska Natives and also witheveryone we met on the way, which included many different ethnicities.To remember that we have all been reconciled to God helps us to bereconciled to one another.Blessed Savior, thank You for reconciling us to the Father by giving Yourlife as a sacrifice for our sins. Help us to carry Your message of reconciliationinto our communities and wherever else You may lead us. In Yourname we pray, Amen.Tim NortonNavajo, New Mexico31

SATURDAY • MARCH 14Romans 14:8 (ESV)Cross Markings“… So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”At Holy Baptism, the sign of the cross is often part of the ceremony aswater is applied to the forehead of a child or adult. Usually, the sign of thecross is also done over the head and over the breast of a child “in token thatyou are redeemed by Christ the crucified.”In the photo, crosses mark the end of life on the Native burial groundsin Alaska—but not just the end of life. As St. Paul says, “Whether we live orwhether we die, we are the Lord’s.” From the cradle to the grave and evenbeyond, we are the Lord’s. Lent helps us focus and reminds us clearly that weindeed have been redeemed by Christ the crucified, and that all who believein Him are His through life, through death, for all eternity.It is significant that the cross of Calvary marks the gravesites ofChristians. So often we think of the cross only as a marking for death (likethe crosses on the military cemeteries). But for the believer, the cross is amarking for life, a marking of forgiveness, a marking of victory over death,a marking that there is life eternal because Christ gave His life, conqueringdeath, and rose again.So, during the season of Lent, we focus on the cross of the Christ, thecross that has brought life through Christ’s death, the cross that has broughtlife to Native American communities and still does to them as it does to us.As you make the sign of the cross, saying, “In the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” remember the cross that marked youat your Baptism, the cross marking that brought you into the Kingdom ofGod in time and for all eternity. And as a cross may mark your grave, may itbe a witness of life over death.In both life and death, we are Yours, Beloved Savior. Thank You! May Yourcross be ever before us as we share Your message of redemption with others.Amen.Rev. Layton L. Lemke (Ret.)Former Board Member and VolunteerNorwood Young America, Minnesota32

SUNDAY • MARCH 15Psalm 34:18 (NIV)The Reality of God“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed inspirit.”She caught my eye from across the room as she motioned for me to join her.She had an almost wrinkle-free completion that belied her 90-plus years. Her eyeswere lost in her smile, putting me at ease. I welcomed the invitation and made myway over to her.During the two days we attended meetings together, we chatted about thingsconcerning ministry. On the last day, we were asked to consider several questionsthat were meant to clarify why and how we speak to others about God.This little Native elder put her fingertips together and closed her eyes,thinking, remembering. Then she turned to me and with an almost fierceness inher voice, said, “Because God has made Himself real to ME!” She continued.“I was an orphan, you know. One day when I was a girl, I felt like I wanted todie. I took a knife from the kitchen that I thought was sharp enough and I went toa quiet place by the river. I was crying and thinking about my aloneness, feelingsorry for myself. Then, just like I’m talking to you except more like from inside ofme, I heard a voice say, ‘What are you doing? Why are you here?’ I knew it wasGod speaking to me and I didn’t want to hurt myself any more. I buried the knifeby the river and went home. I grew up, got married, had children and my husbandand I served the Lord all these years.”Then she lowered her voice and leaned closer. “Do you remember the storyof the man who was killing young women some years ago?” Then, like dropping abomb, she said, “He did that to my daughter.”Animated, she shook her fists, saying, “I was so mad at God! I told everyoneto leave me alone! I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I was filled with hate for thisman. I went outside the village by myself crying and screaming in my pain andanger.“After some days I was exhausted, finally quiet. It was when I stoppedfighting, broken, that a wave of God’s grace came over me—wave after wavelike water and electricity pouring over me and through me. With each wave, I feltmore hate and hurt leave me. Finally, I felt completely clean, healed, at peace.God had given me His peace!”My elder friend sat with her fingertips together again, eyes closed, with asmile on her angelic face. Then she brought her face close to mine and, pointingtoward heaven, whispered, “Oh yes, God is real! He is real to me!”Jesus, as our High Priest, You were tempted in every way, yet without sin, so Youcould sympathize with our weaknesses. Thank You for making Yourself real tothis beautiful Native elder and to us all. Thank You for being close when we arebrokenhearted and crushed in spirit. In Your name, I pray, Amen.Rosemary SternbeckFairbanks, Alaska33

MONDAY • MARCH 16Revelation 15:3, 4 (NIV)The Light of His Glory“… Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. …”This morning I was watering one of my houseplants. After I wateredthe plant, I saw glimmering in the light little beads of water that hung onthe stands ever so delicately. Like jewels they glittered and shimmeredalong each stem.I marveled over how simple things like water and a plant so quietlydeclare the glory of God! I often think of the verse, “His mercies are newevery morning,” and indeed they are!How is it that we as humans miss all these quiet little miracles thatsurround us every day? Have we grown so dull to God’s glory that weare blind to it? We often hope and wait for God to do the “big” miraclesin our life but fail to notice He reveals His glory, faithfulness and love incountless millions of “small” miracles every day!God, please open my eyes and heart to all the evidences of Your love,mercy and grace today!Mary JohnsonHudson, Wisconsin34

TUESDAY • MARCH 17Psalm 118:1-2 (NLT)Prayer and Praise“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love enduresforever. Let all Israel repeat: His faithful love endures forever.”What do you think of when you hear or see the word prayer? For me,far too often, I think of what troubling things are going on in my life andhow God needs to help me.I recently challenged the Haskell Fellowship with how we often pray.I suggested that we thank and praise God. Yes, I do this, but not oftenenough. Many of you probably have days like I do, where rejoicing andthanking God is the last thing you want to do. Our mood is down, oursituation is troubling and out of hand and our sorrow, guilt and grief areoverwhelming. We can all relate to the writers of the psalms who at timesmust have felt this way, too.But no matter how low the psalmists felt, they were always honestwith God. And as they talked to God, their prayers ended in praise.When you don’t feel like rejoicing, tell God how you truly feel. Youwill find that God will give you reason to rejoice. God has given you thisday to live and to serve Him. Rejoice that we can serve Him today!God, Creator of the stars, Creator of the universe, You are so grand andmighty, my mind cannot grasp how wonderful and magnificent You are.Thank You for always being there for me. Thank You for being in themidst of all my struggles. You have created this day and I will rejoice andbe glad in it. Amen.Patricia Main (Cree)Lawrence, Kansas35

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 18Mark 10:35-45 (ESV)Aunty Betsey of HawaiiService – Servant – Slave“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoeverwould be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came notto be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Aunty Betsey Stockton, former slave, was the first African-American womanmissionary to Hawaii from North America. She arrived in Sandwich Islands(Hawaii) on April 27, 1823, and opened the first school for the Makaainana—orthe eyes of the land—the Hawaiian commoners of Hawaii. She also served assuperintendent of the school. Later, when she returned to America, Aunt Betseyorganized and started other schools for black children in Philadelphia and aschool in Canada for Indians.Betsey Stockton was born into slavery. At age 9, she was given as awedding gift by her owner to his daughter, who married the Rev. Ashbel Green,president of Princeton College. While serving in their home, Betsey was allowedto use the family library, where she became self-educated. Eventually, Betseywas emancipated and was baptized and joined the church. She desired to be amissionary to Africa, but at the first opportunity she joined a missionary team toHawaii instead, where her skills as a trained nurse, midwife and teacher provedvery useful.Betsey loved children and was personally asked to start a school. Imagine,a former slave woman who loved to serve and share her Savior started the firstschool in Lahaina, Maui, for commoners!When Jesus was asked by His disciples, “Who is the greatest?” He answered,“You must be a slave, a servant to all.” Aunty Betsey of Hawaii, a former blackslave now emancipated, took it upon herself to be the greatest amongst us. All herself-education and newfound freedom culminated in her desire to be a missionaryteacher so she could serve Jesus by serving others.Can we, like Aunty Betsey, serve and be missionaries to those who do notknow Him—be a slave to all with the greatest Servant of all, Christ Jesus—bysharing in His suffering, death and resurrection? Because of the love He has forus, we can!“Come with me,” Jesus says.Father, Help me to see how You are already at work in the lives of people around.Help me to see how I can join You. We ask this in the great Servant’s name, JesusChrist.Clarence De Lude III (Native Hawaiian), Missionary at LargeWaianae, Hawaii36

THURSDAY • MARCH 19Colossians 3:3-4 (ESV)In the Lord’s Life“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear withhim in glory.”The banner read, “Lord, be in my life.” This is not an uncommonplea. Yet, the words hung there in the air, not settling, but demandingfurther reflection.What does it mean for the Lord to be in my life?Well, it is like having anyone else in my life—He would be a partof it. My life would basically stand as it is, with Christ as an additionalpart. He would have an impact on my life, as all relationships do, but Hewould define neither me nor my life.That is exactly what we tend to want. We want to be in chargeof our lives. We want to define who we are. We want to have selfdetermination.But it would mean that Christ would be called by my name. Yet, weare called by His name; we are Christ-ians. Our lives are not ours; theyare His. We were bought with the price of His own blood.More than that, in Baptism we were killed, placed into His death andresurrection. So though we still breathe in this world, we have passedthrough the death of sin’s wages and punishment. Now our life is rootedin Christ’s resurrected and ascended life. So it is that we live with Himin God. This reality defines you for today and for eternity.Yet, this is not a reality that matches what we see. It is not obviousas we go through each day. We need help to know who we reallyare in Christ. We need help to know what it really means to be aChrist-ian. We need the Holy Spirit to train us in the fullness of theWord.So, our true prayer needs to be, “Lord, let me be in Your life.”Cause me to know what my true being is as part of You and Your perfect,eternal reality. Teach me what it is to have true identity in You.Help me to take my eyes off myself so I may truly see You. Then I canknow my true life hidden with You in God.Lord, let me be in Your life. Amen.Rev. Dan JacobsCrow Agency, Montana37

FRIDAY • MARCH 20John 14:18 (NIV)Alone“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”When you travel north from Gallup, New Mexico, toward the NavajoNation, you cannot help but notice just how empty the terrain is. It isbroad and flat and arid. You also can’t help but feel very much alone.There are many times in our crowded lives that we seek solitude.Solitude is a choice. Alone is often forced upon us. To be alone is to realizethat the comforting structures of family and community are not there.Even God realized, at the very beginning, that being alone is not good forHis human creatures (Genesis 2:18).The members of Native communities know all about being alone,having been uprooted, relocated and resettled in remote places that are notnatural for them. They struggle with an identity and an existence markedby aloneness, and the attempts to manage their loneliness are predictable:a tattered path of broken families, marriages and communities wherealone presses in like an unbearable weight.The story of Jesus is how the Son of God Himself submitted to thepain of being alone for us. While hanging on the cross, Jesus was not tormentedby His enemies of His pain as much as He was crying out againstbeing so alone, with no one to be near Him. His Father left Him, leavingHim to cry into the darkness to the God who had only forsaken Him. Thisis the ultimate burden of aloneness that He bore for us.On the Day of Resurrection, Jesus first sought out people to showthem He was alive, of course, but also to show us that our aloneness wasnow defeated and gone forever. We now go to the lonely parts of thecountry to bring the Good News that God came to our earth and sufferedthe punishment of being alone so that, in Jesus and in His Church, we canfind family and community that dispels all of our aloneness forever.Risen Savior, You took on the dark hours of being alone for me. I nowtrust Your Word that You will never leave me nor forsake me. In Jesus’name, Amen.Rev. Robert Gebel serves in the Milwaukee area. His wife, Sue, is on theDevelopment Staff of Lutheran Indian Ministries.38

SATURDAY • MARCH 21John 10:10 (NIV)Our Hope in Time of Need“… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”As my friend put down the phone and began to weep, all I could dowas embrace him. A 15-year-old Native boy who had grown up with histwo sons had suddenly and unexpectedly taken his own life. One of hisown sons made the discovery and had tried unsuccessfully to revive him.It was too late.For whatever reasons, the young victim, a teenager with such greatpromise, had lost all hope and decided to end his life. Later, as I observedthe mother and father weeping and grieving the loss of their firstborn son,I knew I would never forget their pain.As I encounter situations as dark and tragic as this, I am remindedhow important, even critical it is, to proclaim the meaning of Jesus comingto all people everywhere! Without Jesus, there is absolutely no hopefor anyone. But with Jesus, even in our darkest hour, there is hope eternal.He promises us forgiveness of sins, peace with God our Father, purposefor the present and life beyond the grave. It is all encompassed in Hispromise, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”As we reflect once more during this season of Lent on God’s sacrificeof His own Son, Jesus, let us remember the hope that He brings to thepeople of all nations. As I walk with and among the First Nations peopleof Canada, many of whom struggle to find meaning in a world of chaosand change, I am so thankful that I can proclaim, to as many as permitme, the hope of the Gospel and the love of Christ for all people.What a great privilege and obligation to be able to share with peoplethat Jesus has come to give us victory over sin, death and the devil to giveus all “life more abundantly”!Dearest Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ Who freelygives us His life both now and everlasting and removes the dark cloudsof hopelessness, grief and sadness. May those who are burdened experienceHis gracious love and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Rick MartinManitoba Canada39

SUNDAY • MARCH 22Numbers 21:9 (ESV)Look and Live!“So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bitanyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”Do you ever complain? Do you complain when you do not get your way?Or how about when you are served something that you don’t like to eat? Doyou complain when things go wrong such as when the car breaks down, thetire goes flat, the headlight goes out again? Do you complain that others getthe job that you wanted?Or maybe you complain when you become impatient. The check iscoming but it is not here yet. Do you take it out on the postal worker or thosewhom you promised to pay back, yet, they keep asking where it is?Do you have expectations of God that He is simply not living up to? Didyou do all the right things—or most of them—changing your ways, attendinga worship service or two and then trouble comes? So you complain againstGod.The children of Israel, God’s chosen tribe, complained when they wereso close to entering the Promised Land and then had to turn and go in theopposite direction for a time.What happened? God—yes, God—sent poisonous snakes. Many peoplewere bitten and several died. They repented and asked Moses to pray that Godwould send the snakes away, a simple request. Did God remove the snakes?No, He did not. Really? Yes, really. Instead, He had Moses make a bronzeserpent and set it on a pole. Anyone bitten could look up in faith and live.We learn from the third chapter of John’s Gospel that Jesus would also beset on a pole so that each and every person who looks to Him in faith wouldlive. In other words, Jesus would suffer the full wrath of God, not simplyignore the sin of each and every man, woman and child, as He obediently diedon a cross. Jesus’ death glorified His Father in heaven so that everyone whobelieves in Him could live a life knowing full well that he or she is forgivenby God.Look at Jesus and live!Dear Father in heaven, we pray and thank You that You glorified Your owndear Son as He was lifted up on a cross, so that each and every one who looksto Him in faith has life, now and forevermore. In His name we pray, Amen.Pastor Ricky JacobJesus Our Savior Lutheran OutreachWinnebago, Nebraska40

MONDAY • MARCH 23Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)Security In Christ“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry aboutitself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34).Everyone wants security in his or her life. We want financial security, jobsecurity, security in our family and relationships and security in having goodhealth. We also want security in our country against those who might wantto inflict harm upon us. Sometimes we make our bodies sick from spendingso much time worrying about these things, yet, permanent security can’t befound in money, things or governments. The only thing that brings us realsecurity is our relationship with Jesus Christ.In Matthew 7, Jesus talks about the wise man that built his house uponthe rock and it withstood the storm. The foolish man built his house on thesand and when the wind and storm came it was washed away. The wise manlistened and acted on the words Jesus spoke, but the foolish man didn’t. If weput our trust in the temporal things of this world, we will never have security.Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6 that we are not to worry. Weneed not worry about what we have to wear or what we will eat or drink atour next meal. He takes care of everything in His whole creation. He knowsour wants and needs even before we do. We aren’t to worry about tomorrowor what’s to come in the future. Our security must lie in Christ. Putting oursecurity in Christ gives us a fulfilled life.Bad things happen in everyone’s life, but Christ has control of everygiven situation. We can rest in and be secure in knowing that. He promisesto take care of us. Worry is a sin, plain and simple. When we live in a constantstate of worry, we are saying God’s Word is not true. That would meanChrist’s death and resurrection was for nothing. Instead we should take comfortin knowing we are secure as His children. He wants us to love and enjoythe life He has given us, spreading the Gospel with joy to those that are livingin uncertainty and darkness.Christ wants us to live an abundant life on earth. He has given us lifeeverlasting through His suffering, death and resurrection. This is where ourtrue security is.Father, forgive us for those times we worry and fret over things we cannotcontrol. Remind us, Lord, that You and You alone are in control of everygiven situation. Our security is in Your hands. In Your precious name, Amen.Cathy Benzler (Cherokee)Port Angeles, Washington41

TUESDAY • MARCH 241 John 4:9-10 (NIV)Showing the Love of God“This is how God showed his love among us: he … sent his Son as anatoning sacrifice for our sins.”Recently I met with Michael, one of the Native brothers, and he wasexcited to tell me about an opportunity he had to tell the Good News.“Three friends were over to visit me last week,” Michael began. “Onekind of believed in God but was unsure about Jesus. One was a skeptic.And one was just lost.“I told them: ‘Don’t doubt Jesus! He’s been here forever—long beforeHe was born. He created everything and then became a man to show ushow much God loved us. That’s what He did through His death and resurrection.’“My friends asked me about the Holy Spirit and how He fits in. I toldthem the Spirit came on Mary and God planted His seed in her so thatJesus would be both Son of God and Man. Then, after He rose, He said,‘Now I’m going to send YOU a gift—the Holy Spirit!’”Michael continued:“One of my friends said, ‘There’s so much love in your face whenyou say that. I can just feel the love coming off you!’“That’s HIM,” I told her. “That’s God you’re seeing in me.”I told Michael how glad I was he had gotten this opportunity to sharehis faith.“It’s what God told me when I was in prison,” he replied. “Go andshare the gift I’ve given you and tell the Good News!”Dear Father, thank You that You have shown us Your love by sendingJesus to be our Savior through His death and resurrection. Help us takethe opportunities we have to share the Good News with those around us.Amen.Rev. Mark PeskeBemidji, MinnesotaMike Lemon, whose story is told in this devotion, is a Native Americanartist whose work has been featured over the years on Lutheran IndianMinistries’ devotions for Lent and Advent. The cover of this current issuealso features Mike’s art. For more information, use the contact informationfound on Page 3.42

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 25Luke 8:35 (NIV)Satan’s Legions Defeated“ … When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom thedemons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet. …”She had been delivered from darkness. As a child she had been takenfrom her parents and sent to a government school for Native Americanchildren. There she learned to be ashamed of her Native heritage. Like somany other Native women, she had been repeatedly abused. After a lifetimeof mental and spiritual anguish, she found healing and peace in herChristian faith.I had asked, “How can our ministry best serve you and your people?”Her dark eyes looked up plaintively. She said: “I know Jesus. Help usto understand the Bible.”In today’s Bible passage, the entire community had given up on aman named “Legion,” because he was possessed by numerous and powerfuldemons. But the moment Jesus decided to rescue him, the demonswere defeated. They were helpless, witless before the Son of God. Thereis no place for them where Jesus dwells.When the townsfolk heard how Jesus had driven the demons out, theycame and found the man, “dressed and in his right mind, sitting at the feetof Jesus,” listening to His Savior’s words, eager to learn from His Word.If there is ever a doubt about God’s power and willingness to deliverus from Satan’s darkness, go to the cross and the open tomb of Jesus.There, once and for all, the forces of sin and death were defeated and thefinal price was paid for the redemption of all mankind.Lord Jesus, thank You for making our hearts Your home. Help us now tounderstand Your Word that we may know You better and follow You onthe path that leads to life eternal. Amen.Rev. Harry HennemanAlgonac, Michigan43

THURSDAY • MARCH 26Romans 5:1 (NIV)Contentment with the Holy Spirit“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peacewith God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”I know a man on the reservation who has not been in very good healthlately and his family members are also experiencing health problems.They live in a small house that is in need of repair and live off a tinyincome. Yet, every time I see him, he is always in good spirits. This manloves the Lord and trusts Him to meet all his needs. He is happy withwhat God has given him.When King David was about to die, he said to his son, Solomon, “TheLord promised me, if your descendants walk faithfully before me withall of their heart and soul and watch how they live, you will never fail tohave a man on the throne of Israel.”The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whateveryou want me to give you.” Solomon asked for a discerning heart togovern God’s people and distinguish between right and wrong. The Lordwas pleased with Solomon’s request and granted it. King Solomon hadmore wisdom and riches than all the other kings of the earth.King Solomon was told by the Lord not to marry all of those womenfrom different nations because they would turn his heart toward theirgods. But Solomon did not obey the Lord and, as he grew old, his wivesturned his heart and he started following the false gods of other nations.The Lord became angry with King Solomon because he turned away fromHim and broke the covenant he made with the Lord. Even though Godgranted Solomon’s wishes by giving him more wisdom and riches thanany other man, Solomon still had a hard time obeying God.We are all by nature sinful beings. Just as Solomon, we are never ableto obey all of God’s laws no matter how hard we try.As Jesus was about to be crucified, He promised the Holy Spirit tothe disciples. John 14:16, 17, says, “And I will ask the Father, and he willgive you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.”Dear Heavenly Father, during this season of Lent, let us use this time tocelebrate the love Jesus has for us that led Him to make His ultimate sacrificeon the cross so we may have eternal life.Deacon Tom Benzler (Ioway)Olympic Peninsula, Washington44

FRIDAY • MARCH 27John 19:30b (NIV)Finished!“… Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that he bowed his head and gaveup his spirit.”When Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished,” He declared that thework of redemption was completed. All that needed to be done was done.Nothing more could be done—nothing more could be added to what Hehad done. There was no other way. There could be no improvement oraddition to what He had done.Throughout His life, Jesus perfectly obeyed His Father’s will for us.He won the victory over sin, death and the devil—over every contendingspirit, every power and force which defied and challenged God’s rule. Hewas willing and obedient in His service to the Father. And so He gainedthe victory. He is Lord, overcoming all opposition to His Father.Jesus not only kept the Law perfectly for us, He also sacrificedHimself and suffered, in the place of rebellious people like us, the punishmentdue every sin. His death was the final step in the humiliation andself-sacrifice that earned forgiveness for everyone.There is no more price to be paid—no more penalty to endure.Everything has been done in Christ. Salvation is a reality. God’s justice issatisfied. His plan to redeem mankind has been carried out by Christ.Christ’s saving work is over now. He can rest from His saving labors.Several verses earlier John reported in his Gospel that Jesus knew that “allwas now completed” (v. 28). All the laws and requirements of God’s covenantwith mankind were fulfilled. Salvation is ready to be enjoyed.Now God freely invites everyone to come and enjoy what He has preparedin Christ. All can come to celebrate the happy day of redemption.Our invitation has been delivered to us by the Spirit in our baptism. And itis signed with the blood of Jesus Christ. The filthy rags of our righteousnesshave been replaced with the robe of Christ’s perfect righteousness.We receive the gift of grace in faith—with thanksgiving.Lord Jesus, keep us in the assurance that because You said, “It is finished,”we know that we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life withYou. Thank You, Jesus, for all that You did and all that You endured forus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Rev. Clark H. Gies (Ret.)Fairfax, South Dakota45

SATURDAY • MARCH 28Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)Seventy Times Seven!“Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgivesomeone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesusreplied, ‘but seventy times seven!’”The forgiveness that is freeing must be repeated again and again.When Simon Peter asked, “How often must I forgive my neighbor? Asmany as seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, but seventytimes seven!”The greatest generosity we can give is forgiveness, and the awesomenews is that we each have the resources of a millionaire. Our forgivenessbank account is unlimited, so there is no need to be cheap in our generosity.We know that the more generous we are in such gifts, the larger oursoul becomes, allowing us to operate in freedom.As we go about our day, we can be extremely generous— seventytimes seven— to drivers who cut into our lane, to co-workers or strangersor sales clerks who are rude to us, to friends or family who rain on ourparade by disappointing us, even to those who talk behind our backs orfalsely accuse us.Forgiveness begins at home—with yourself. First, you are forgivenin Christ! Completely forgiven! So, forgive yourself seventy times sevenfor your grievous sins, the sins that continue to hurt. Forgive yourselffor your silly mistakes, your faults, your misled choices and your slightstoward others. Knowing we are forgiven by God in Christ enables us toforgive ourselves. If we are forgiven, then it’s easier to forgive others.Father, we pray that You would give us the courage to forgive those whohave harmed us. We pray that we can forgive even those who have hurtus long ago. Thank You that we can do this because we ourselves are forgivenand You love us so!Rev. Will Main (Sioux)Lawrence, Kansas46

PALM SUNDAY • MARCH 29John 17:3-5 (ESV)For the Time Being“And this is eternal life that they know you the only true God,and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, havingaccomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorifyme in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before theworld existed.”Jesus was born into the world as a time being, meaning, He camefrom eternity to live on earth for ‘the time being’ or for a certain amountof time. He came into the world subject to a beginning and an end. Inso doing, Jesus became subject to all of the trials, disappointments andafflictions that are common to all of us: hunger pangs, childhood illnesses,hurt feelings, sexual temptations, grieving the loss of friends and family,stress exhaustion and finally death.Unlike the rest of us time beings, Jesus was able to navigate all ofthese afflictions without falling prey to the temptations of the evil one.Also unlike the rest of us, He freely laid down His life on earth to give useternal life with Himself and the Father. He stayed true to His calling, tothe reason He left His Father and His heavenly home.We, too, have a calling. “A new commandment I give to you, thatyou love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love oneanother. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you havelove for one another” (John 13:34, 35). It sounds easy, but the old man inus is difficult to kill. It is not natural for us to lay down our lives for others,to crucify the flesh day after day.But God is faithful. He has sent the Comforter to sustain and guide uswhile we travel through this vapor of life. He has given us His Word andthe Holy Sacraments. We have been given the promise of eternal life. Hehas not left us alone in our nakedness. In fact, He has clothed us in Hisrighteousness. And until He takes us home, we are safe.Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and mercy, and for Your Son,Jesus, Who has made a way for us to travel into the eternities to be withYou. Keep us today in Your lovingkindness. Amen.Rosemary SternbeckFairbanks, Alaska47

MONDAY • MARCH 30John 12:24 (NIV)Churchill, Nature and God“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”Flying into Churchill was a new experience for us. It was a long flight,as Churchill is situated quite north on the cold shores of Hudson Bay. Lindaand I were going to minister in counseling, music and present a workshop onabuse issues.We arrived a day early, hoping to take in some of God’s untouched creation.On the first evening, we were picked up on boats to see beluga whales.We saw them jumping and dancing around our little outdoor motorboats.Then, further out around the bay, we saw two large polar bears hanging outon the rocks, lazily enjoying the evening sun. We also noticed plant life allaround, with food for the smaller animals and for the birds to feed on andstore up for the winter. As the sun went down, the cold air chilled us, remindingus that winter’s harsh roar was near. Everything would be frozen solidand appear dead. The plant life would die and snow would cover everything.What is so amazing is how new life comes even after the cold, bitter andextremely harsh blast of winter. No matter how hard the winter freeze, springeventually follows. The beluga whales return, plants sprout new growth andpolar bears emerge from their dens.This reminds me of God. When we think there is no hope and death haswon, life suddenly and beautifully comes forth. In fact, John declares in hisGospel letter that it is only when a seed dies that “more” new life can come:“… but its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of newlives” (John 12:24, NLT).What makes this all possible? It is the life, death and resurrection ofJesus Christ! Even nature itself illustrates the good news of the Gospel. Thecycle of nature reminds us every year of what God has done on the cross.During this Lenten season, may you once again meditate on and enjoythe power of the resurrection. When the cold blasts of winter hit your life andall things may seem to be dead and hopeless, remember that God is at workand new life will come!Dear God, Thank You for the ultimate power of the resurrection. Thank Youthat when things in our lives seem to be dead and hopeless, You bring newlife. And Lord, thank You for showing us that it is when we die to ourselvesthat You truly bring new life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Rick MartinManitoba, Canada48

TUESDAY • MARCH 31Psalm 118:23 (ESV)Free to Go Home“This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”It had been six months leading up to this day. Finally, my son was cominghome from a state-run drug rehabilitation center. As I walked from mycar to the building to wait for his release, I looked up to notice a number ofmen peering through some of the windows. Each of them was somebody’sson, I thought. All of them had some hardship in their past to overcome.“God help them,” I prayed silently.I gave the guard my son’s name and the clothes I brought for him, signedin and sat down where others waited for their own loved ones. Guards cameand went through a locked door. We waited.Finally, over an intercom, a guard from behind a nearby desk announced,“So-and-so, go to Belongings and pick up your things!” With that, the entirebuilding erupted with applause and loud cheers from behind the walls. Theinmates were giving their final farewell to a friend now set free.Another name was announced, then another and finally my son’s. Eachtime a name was called, the inmates erupted with great joy. Each time Ifought back tears for the humanity the men displayed for their brothers inrecovery. Their cheers filled my heart, especially for my son who was cominghome better for the experiences there, wiser and with more hope than hethought he’d ever know up till then.My son’s release and the reactions of his fellow inmates are reflective ofwhy Jesus died for all of us on Calvary’s cross. According to Scripture, eachof us deserves punishment, eternal separation from God and even death forour sins. That’s exactly what Jesus took upon Himself when, in our place, Hewas detested, lied about, shackled, beaten and died. And He suffered and diedwillingly, obediently and with only love for us.By God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we are forgiven of our sins,cleansed of all unrighteousness and free to go home to spend eternity withour Savior in heaven.Dear Jesus, as the inmates cheered for those free to go home, even more sothe angels in heaven rejoiced when, on the third day, You rose from the dead,conquering death and the devil who no longer has dominion over us. ThankYou.Karen Higgins (Alaska Native)Barnhart, MissouriWritten with permission.49

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 1Mark 8:27–38 (ESV)Culture Shift“But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.‘Get behind me, Satan!’ He said. ‘You do not have in mind the concernsof God, but merely human concerns’ (v. 33).Hawaiians have a feasting culture. When the new religion introducedfasting, Hawaiians frowned and asked the question, “Why would anyonedo that on purpose?” Remember, we have luaus for everything!The culture shift is beginning for Jesus’ disciple, Peter, too. In Mark8:27, Jesus is telling what will happen to Him, but His suffering and deathon the cross and His resurrection did not go over well with His disciples.Peter had his own definition of the Christ. That definition came from hisculture and traditions.What was the reaction of Jesus? He rebuked Peter, “Get behind me,Satan!”We know when Christ rebukes, only good things happen. It is a reactionin great Aloha, we Hawaiians say. He rebuked Peter the way Herebuked the storm on the sea, which immediately became calm and peaceful.The storm within Peter had been calmed.We need to know the Master and get behind Him and not our cultureor traditions if they conflict with His authority. Like Colossians 3:3 says,“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”The shift in religion played a major role in the shift of the Hawaiianculture and people, too. It is true for all peoples and cultures throughouttime and space. The whole of the Jewish people went through a cultureshift with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Next was theentire known world, which shifted with the spreading and inclusion of theGentiles into the new proclamation of the Gospel message through theapostles.We in Lutheran Indian Ministries are confident in God’s love and carefor our tribes and nations, because it is still our Father’s world.Christ Jesus, may we continue to “be at peace” when changes in our liveshappen because of our relationship with You, our Savior. Amen.Clarence De Lude III (Native Hawaiian) Missionary-at-LargeWaianae, Hawaii50

MAUNDY THURSDAY • APRIL 2John 12:23 (ESV)The Hour has Come to be Glorified“And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to beglorified.’”Everything that God promises will no doubt happen and happen at just theright time. At just the right time, our Creator sent His One and Only Son into theworld, born not according to the will or from the seed of a man, but born throughthe work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus would also die at just the right time.This Son of Man was born so that He would glorify His Father in heaven.Jesus, or ‘God saves,’ was His name. Jesus would Himself be glorified in such agruesome manner that it makes absolutely no sense to mortal man.Listen to the words of Jesus: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to beglorified. … Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save mefrom this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorifyyour name” [Selected verses from John 12:20-33, ESV].It was there on a pole, lifted up, without a foot on the ground, hangingbetween earth and sky, that the Son of Man would be glorified. Jesus wasstripped of His clothes as well as His dignity. He was mocked, ridiculed,betrayed, falsely accused, whipped, beaten, spit upon and all the while He wasbeing glorified. Jesus bore our blame and He endured our shame. All the whileHe was honoring His Father by being obedient unto death, yes, even death on across.End result: God the Father was glorified by His Son’s obedient, yet,disgraceful shame. In turn, Jesus was glorified at that very hour. At the sametime—and I mean at the same time—each and every believer in Jesus was savedand thereby now shares in His glory!Don’t we all come and leave this world according to God’s timing? Thequestion I have for you this hour is how do you see Jesus and His hour of glory?Do you have eyes of faith, believing that Jesus’ shameful death on a cross paidfor your sin? When you take your last breath, will you be living life all on yourown, or will you be sharing in His glory?Dear Father in heaven, sometimes we question Your timing and why thingshappen when they happen at the worst possible time and bring such pain andseparation in our lives. Send Your Spirit so that even in the worst of times wecontinue to look up with eyes of faith to Jesus as He was glorified on the cross,assured that we, too, share in His glory. In His name we pray, Amen.Pastor Ricky JacobJesus Our Savior Lutheran OutreachWinnebago, Nebraska51

GOOD FRIDAY • APRIL 3Isaiah 26:19 (NIV)Our Hope in the Resurrected Christ“But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust,wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth willgive birth to her dead.”With respect to the believer, every death to the self results in transformationin the believer’s life. The very basis of our faith is rooted and established in thereality and the promise of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you… by which also you are saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you …that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried,and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Paul goeson to say in verse 14, “if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain,your faith also is vain.” Thus Paul makes it absolutely clear that the death andresurrection of Jesus is of utmost importance to us.What this means for us and the world around us is that there is hope that oursins can be forgiven. Christ’s death atoned not just for our sin but the sin of thewhole world (John 3:16). There is also hope that we can receive God’s power inour lives through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to live God pleasinglives. “Christ in us” is the resurrection power of God indwelling our lives andenabling us to live God-pleasing lives.Then there is the hope of eternal life. Isaiah 26:19 says, “But your dead willlive; their bodies will rise. …” This promise is rooted in Christ’s death and resurrection.Romans 8:11 affirms, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus fromthe dead dwells in you, he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quickenyour mortal bodies by His spirit that dwells in you.”Before Christ, men had no realistic hope of forgiveness of sins or resurrectionfrom death to life. At Christ’s resurrection, He put an end to the agony andfear of death (Acts 2:24). He calls us to faith, He works in us to do His will andHe gives up hope of life beyond the grave. He, therefore, asks of us to take upour cross and follow Him, that is, to live our own lives in imitation of His life. InHim there is no fear. His perfect love casts out all fear.Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for this love bestowed upon us. Lord, weknow that to the degree we die to ourselves, the resurrected life of Your Son canbegin to work through us for Your Kingdom. Help us to live in the hope andpromise of Your resurrection power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Rev. David Sternbeck (Nuu-chah-nulth)Fairbanks, Alaska52

HOLY SATURDAY • APRIL 4Acts 2:24 (NIV)Death Has No Hold on Him!“… It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”Recently I spoke to a woman who lost a family member very suddenly,which greatly disturbed her. He was a young man who came froma family that follows Jesus. His death made her realize that, even as followersof Jesus, death strikes our families, too, and it caused her to fear.I explained how we live in a fallen world where death, terminal illnessand other tragedies take place, but we have a God Who has takencare of that. God sent His Son, Jesus, into our world where physical deathis part of life, and He defeated the experience of it by dying on the crossfor all of us. Not only did God, through His Son, defeat physical death,He also secured our spiritual being and gave us eternal life through Hisdeath and resurrection. In Acts 2:24, it says, “But God raised him fromthe dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossiblefor death to keep its hold on him.”Ultimately, our hope becomes our surety of eternal life beyond thisphysical world through His resurrection. Passages in Luke 24:6 and Mark16:6 both assure us that “He has risen!” He has abolished death, all death!In 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, it says, “For He must reign until He has putall His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished isdeath.”That day this woman went away, knowing that Jesus still has a sayto how we can experience death. There is hope because of Jesus. May weall be reminded this Easter season that, because of our risen Savior, deathdoes not have its final say in God’s people.Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to comeinto our physical world and die and face death for all of us. Help us tounderstand that death does not have a final say in our lives. Give us eyesof faith and a heart to understand this truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.Linda Martin (Cree)Manitoba, Canada53

EASTER SUNDAY • APRIL 5Luke 15:4 (ESV)“Easter’s Mission – Find the Lost Sheep”“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one ofthem, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after theone that is lost, until he finds it?”The resurrection of Jesus took everyone by surprise and caught themin their unbelief. The spices for a proper burial now stand as indicting evidenceagainst the women.You didn’t believe what Jesus said about the third day, now, did you?So also the timid behavior of the disciples shows them hiding behindlocked doors.Easter Morning comes and finds us all timid. The risen Christ comescalling, and we are afraid to show our faces because we did not believewhat He so plainly told us. How do we greet Jesus now?Jesus had choices as to how He would greet His disciples, too. DoesHe accuse them of their cowardly betrayal and abandonment in His hourof need? Will He terminate their relationship as He goes off to recruitanother, more reliable Twelve? All are possible, but none is the result.Instead, Jesus leaves the grave to go and find His lost sheep. Heinvades their private hiding places simply to find them and bring themback to Himself. Ever the Good Shepherd, ever on the mission to seekand to save, it is His first order of business after He arose from the grave,alive: restore My wandering sheep.As lost sheep now found by the Good Shepherd, we adopt the sameattitude, always on the lookout for the wandering, the threatened andthose far from God. It is our Easter imperative as we serve our risen Lord.Lord Jesus, use me to restore a wandering sheep. Amen.Rev. Robert Gebel serves in the Milwaukee area. His wife, Sue, is on theDevelopment Staff of Lutheran Indian Ministries.54

Northern Lights FellowshipThe Northern Lights Fellowship recognizes the men and women whohave made a special commitment to the long-term ministry ofLutheran Indian Ministries through a bequest, charitable giftannuity, trust agreement, life insurance program or other estate gift.If you are interested in learning more about making a plannedgift, please contact our office. While estate plans remain anonymous,membership in the Fellowship encourages other friends toremember Lutheran Indian Ministries in their estate planning.As a special expression of our gratitude to members of the NorthernLights Fellowship, we are pleased to offer a beautiful print of awatercolor painting by Mary Johnson, gifted artist and wife ofour Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Don Johnson.YOUR LEGACY OF FAITH AND LOVEYes! q I have already remembered Lutheran Indian Ministriesin my Will or Estate Plans. Please enroll me in theNorthern Lights Fellowship.Name _______________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________City _________________________________________________________State ________________________ ZIP Code _______________________q Please contact me. Phone Number: ___________________________Email: ____________________________________Please detach and return this form to the address below. Thank you!Lutheran Indian Ministries3525 North 124th Street, Suite1•Brookfield, WI 53005-2498Phone: 888-783-5267 •LutheranIndianMinistries.orgFacebook.com/IndianMinistry Twitter.com/IndianMinistry

Lutheran Indian Ministriesshares the Gospel of Jesus Christwith Native American Nations,encouraging them to proclaim Christ’sKingdom to their own and to others.God’sgracecompelsustohelpbuildthe capacity of Native Americansto impact their communities forthe sake of Christ’s Kingdom.3525 North 124th Street, Suite 1 | Brookfield, WI 53005-2498888-783-5267 | LutheranIndianMinistries.orgFacebook.com/IndianMinistry Twitter.com/IndianMinistry