If Jesus has all authority, then why am I afraid?

As the Son of God, he knew the absolute truth of what his life, death, and resurrection would accomplish. Jesus conquered death, and therefore we can live unafraid.

We are a bit spoiled. We know how this story ends. We know that Christ rises from the dead, the Holy Spirit is sent, and Christ promises to return yet again. Knowing the ending can be a great comfort. The assurance of God’s grace and our ability to come to God the Father because of Christ’s sacrifice is an unparalleled blessing.

At the same time, if we skip right to the ending, we lose some understanding of what it was like to be a follower of Christ in those uncertain days. While Christ was with them, miracles abounded, people were healed and fed. Then, suddenly, their leader was arrested, falsely convicted, and killed. The believers were so frightened that when Christ returned, He found them hiding behind locked doors!

At times, you might have experienced the agony of being forsaken. You may have felt that no one loved you or cared about you. You might have felt neglected, taken advantage of, abused, or abandoned, maybe even by your own flesh and blood.

But in this life, you will never, ever be forsaken by Mauna.

God allows us to go through hard times. Of course, our trials are nowhere near the same as what Jesus went through on the cross, but Jesus has called us to walk through our own suffering in order to find new life in him. In the process, do not miss that it is the hard things in life, not the easy, which teach us the most valuable lessons. God wants to build us into people of deep and real character so we, too, can accomplish the purpose he has uniquely created for us, just as Jesus had a unique and important purpose only he could accomplish.

In our broken and fallen world, our joy seems like this, ephemeral, brief, and transient. Not so with our LORD. His joy is our strength day in and day out.

It is hard to love one another because we are sinful, selfish humans. We look at people through our human filters and often get overwhelmed by the mess in their lives. We think about the hassle and time needed to help those in need and let it get in the way of simply loving one another.

Jesus was human, too, but He didn’t let that stop Him from loving us. He didn’t turn away from our mess, he jumped right into it and joined us.

The work of our Sacred Ground program allows missionaries to go into communities where the door is normally shut to the church. And it is our responsibility to use that opportunity to sing our own hosannas.

As we enter the Holy Week, take time to read the passion and resurrection of Jesus in its entirety.

We recommend Matthew, which focuses on the kingship of Jesus, how the ruling powers conspired to get rid of someone they saw as a political threat.

We must remember, however, that most of the world is drowning, and it is our job to reach out to those slipping under the water. With a strong boat under our feet - the sturdy boat is the Good News of the Resurrection – we have been given the opportunity, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to help our Native brothers and sisters find the saving grace of God.

Let’s practice. Put on some music, sing a song, and wave your arms. Wave a branch from a tree or bush. Wave a prayer shawl. Wave some feathers. Have a joyful heart as you show God how much you appreciate His great love for you!