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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