Reflect on the Gospels from the First Nations Version of the Bible and engage Scripture through the voice and cadence of Native storytellers. Hearing the Bible from an Indigenous perspective matters. Creator’s story has always spoken to every people and every land. These devotionals draw from stories of community, wisdom of elders, and the land itself, reminding us that Creator’s hope is given to be shared.
The Gospels are Creator’s hope, incarnated through Jesus, also known as Creator Sets Free. In this week of devotions, we are invited to walk with him and encouraged to pray, trust, and embrace his unconditional love. We will learn together from Andean theology, ending our week with motivation to rise, embrace our childlike spirits, and be representatives of Creator Sets Free’s love.
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, you are welcome in this circle. May these daily readings renew your spirit and remind you that Creator’s hope walks with you wherever you go.
This is part of a series of devotionals for Indigenous Peoples Month written by the Indigenous Ministers Association of The Evangelical Covenant Church. Click here to read more.
Matthew 5:14-16
“As you walk the road with me, you are a light shining in this dark world. A village built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one hides a torch under a basket. Instead, it is lifted up high on a pole, so all who are in the house can see it. In the same way, let your light shine by doing what is good and right. When others see, they will give honor to your Father—the One Above Us All.” — Matthew (Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story) 5:14–16 (First Nations Version).
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) is speaking to many communities of people who came to hear him teach. He invites all, from our ancestors to us today, to walk with him and be a light, a village that is not hidden.
“We Are from Abya Yala,” a post on Publica Theology, describes the term Abya Yala, which represents the connectivity of all of the lands of what non-indigenous people would call the Americas. The post shares some of the term’s history: “In the 1970s, the term Abya Yala was adopted by many Native activists, farmers, historians, politicians, and theologians as the unified name instead of using North America, English America, Latin America, or Hispano America, perpetuating Eurocentric and colonial divisions.” Like the connected community of Abya Yala, we are called to walk the good road together as followers of Creator Sets Free. How beautiful are the grounds of each of our motherlands! Dirt connects us all—from our creation origins, to the place we call home, and to where our journey of life ends.
We are called a village by Creator Sets Free. Like a village, we commune together as witnesses of hope. We are like torches, called by Creator Sets Free to be light for others, burning brightly the goodness we have been taught. We are not to hide under a basket, as Creator Sets Free wants us to be seen doing what is good and right for our villages. In doing so, we give honor to the One Above us All.
Prayer
Take courage, heart in darkness,
Creator Sets Free is here.
We are not alone,
our communities are not alone.
He is our light and guide to walk the road.
Matthew 7:7
“Let your prayers rise like smoke to the Great Spirit, for he will see and answer you. Every step is a prayer, and as you dance upon the earth for the things you seek, the way will open before you. In the same way, as you search for the true ancient pathways, you will find them.” — Matthew (Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story) 7:7 (First Nations Version).
As we continue walking the road with Creator Sets Free, we come across the image of our prayers rising like smoke to the third person of the Trinity, the Great Spirit. In Andean theology, the Quechua term ayni is a core value describing sacred reciprocity. Ayni is also known as a “dance of life” and expresses a harmonious, communal connectivity between humanity and all existence.
Our prayers are ayni, sacred reciprocity in communication with the Great Spirit. Our prayers are like a dance of life because we walk many roads, and every step we take is with Creator. Let us trust and continue dancing with Great Spirit who helps us discover what we seek. May we honor each sacred step Great Spirit encourages us to take.
Creator Sets Free promises that the way before us will be open. May we enjoy the dance of life with its changes in tempo—from slow to fast, and paces in between—in ayni with Great Spirit.
Creator SetsFree promises we will search and find the true ancient pathways. This promise helps us to know our prayers are heard. May we find rest in Creator’s promise of hope and be encouraged by the ayni of our prayers.
Prayer
Great Spirit, thank you
for receiving my dancing prayers.
May I always show ayni.
May I trust your promises.
May I rest in your ayni and hope
in my search of the true ancient pathways.
Have your way.
Mark 5:24-34
“Daughter,” he said to her with great loving kindness in his eyes, “your trust in me has made you well. Now go in peace, for you have been healed of your disease.” – Mark (War Club Tells the Good Story) 5:34 (First Nations Version).
As a crowd followed Creator Sets Free, one woman was desperate for healing after suffering twelve years of an incurable bleeding disease, which had kept her isolated from community. She spent all her money on healers but was never healed.
How many of us have felt just like this woman, experiencing the isolation and desolation of loneliness? How have our lands felt under the diseases of colonization, control, oppression, and genocide?
The woman heard that Creator Sets Free was coming, and even though she was considered unclean by tribal law, she pressed through the crowd and touched his clothes. Right away, the blood disease stopped, and she was healed. There is hope for us and for the land with Creator Sets Free. His resurrection helps us to believe that authentic healing for our communities is possible. Just like the woman of the endless bleeding, Creator Sets Free shows kindness to those who suffer with agony and grief.
To trust is to lean on Creator Sets Free as our healer and peace. To trust is to go to him with our dancing prayers, even when our hearts are heavy. To trust in the resurrection of Creator Sets Free is a healing hope.
Prayer
We give you our trust.
We receive your healing hope.
Mark 9:14-24; Psalm 121:1-2
“What do you mean ‘If I am able’?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered him. “Nothing is too hard for the one with faith!” “I do believe!” the father cried out right away. “Help my weak faith!” – Mark (War Club Tells the Good Story) 9:23-24 (First Nations Version).
There are moments on the road with Creator Sets Free when we experience doubt—perhaps due to unanswered prayers for our families, personal needs, or the ongoing evil in the world. This story of a father and son shows us we are not alone in our doubts. In Andean theology, Jesus is recognized as Apu Jesucristo, which means “Jesus, the Sacred Mountain.” This name comes from the Quechua people and the belief that mountain peaks were the most powerful protector. It depicts Jesus as the highest mountain, the most powerful protector.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from Grandfather, the maker of Father Sky and Mother Earth” (Psalm [Sacred Song] 121:1-2). So we lift our eyes to Apu Jesucristo. Just as with the father in this passage, in the midst of his weak faith, it is not by our strength that we receive healing or answered prayers. It is by Apu Jesucristo’s unconditional love, also known as munay in Andean theology. In his munay, beyond our weak faith, we find hope.
Prayer
I receive your munay.
Help me in the times of weak faith.
Thank you for being Apu Jesucristo,
sacred and powerful watching over us.
We find hope in you, Creator Sets Free.
Luke 7:11-17
“He walked up, opened the blanket, and laid his hands on the young man. The ones carrying it stopped and waited to see what he would do. “Young man,” he said out loud, “rise up!” To the amazement of all, he sat up and began to talk. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then gave him back to his mother.” – Luke (Shining Light Tells the Good Story) 7:14-15 (First Nations Version).
Here we see another story of Creator Sets Free’s miracles. This time it is for a widow from Village of Harmony, or Nain in other translations, whose only son had crossed over. This was a significant loss for the widow. Not only did she lose her son, but her only source of protection, provision, and generational continuation was gone. Creator Sets Free affirms her deep grief, saying, “Do not weep. The Great Spirit has seen your tears” (v. 13). Creator doesn’t negate our grief but sees it. Granting the widow her son’s life back was also restoring her protection, provision, and the hope of generational continuation for her ancestors to live on.
Are there any petitions or promises we have stopped giving to the Great Spirit in our dancing prayers? Let us trust the Great Spirit to hear our prayers and not be afraid to speak them to the One who awaits them and gives us munay (unconditional love). Let us turn to Apu Jesucristo, knowing we can rise up in him each step of the way. In rising up, we embody his ancestral hope to pass on to our next generation.
Prayer
Thank you, Great Spirit, for seeing our tears. In your name, Creator Sets Free, we trust your munay with ancestral hope and generational expectation.
Luke 18:15-17
“The people were bringing their little children to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) so he would lay his hands on them and bless them, but his followers spoke harsh words to the ones bringing them. So Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, ‘Let the children come to me! Do not turn them away. Creator’s good road belongs to the ones who are like these children. I speak from my heart, unless you welcome Creator’s good road in the way a little child does, you will never walk it.’” – Luke (Shining Light Tells the Good Story) 18:15-17 (First Nations Version).
The people who brought their children to Creator Sets Free reveal their incredible trust and hope in him. Some followers tried to deter them, but Creator Sets Free welcomed each child to come to him. In this passage, we are encouraged to be like the little children who are filled with life, energy, and joy as we walk the good road of faith.
Children carry no worries and are curious for adventure. Children cling to their loved ones for support, love, protection, and provision. In the same way, we cling to Apu Jesucristo, knowing he strengthens us each rising day and gives us rest in our dark nights. We can learn from the hearts of children, which demonstrate Apu Jesucristo’s munay (unconditional love). The hearts of children are not yet tainted by the evils of the human systems of colonization, racism, and sexism. May we find hope as we come to Creator as little children and welcome others with joy on the good road of faith.
Prayer
May I come to Creator as a little child. Teach me, Great Spirit, to have a little child’s munay and joy to teach and pass on to others the good road of faith.
John 15:16-17; 1 Corinthians 13:13
“You may think you chose me, but I am the one who chose you. You are my new garden where I will grow a great harvest of my love—the fruit that remains. When you bear this fruit, you represent who I am—my name. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask for. I am telling you this so you will walk the road of love with each other.” – John (He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story) 15:16-17 (First Nations Version).
Creator chose you. You are Apu Jesucristo’s new garden, growing a harvest of his love. We are called as Creator’s children to be image bearers and representatives of love. As First Letter from Small Men to the Sacred Family in Village of Pleasure (1 Corinthians) 13:13 says, “These three remain—faith, hope, and love—and love is the greatest!”
To walk the road of love is not easy, but we are accompanied by Creator, Creator Sets Free, and the Great Spirit. We are not guaranteed a smooth road, but we seek Apu Jesucristo in times of trouble, being expectant of hope and Creator Sets Free’s ayni (sacred reciprocity) of love for us. May our gardens continue to grow the fruit of love so others can taste and see that Creator is good. May our fields bear fruit for others to harvest, allowing space for curiosity about those unfamiliar with the road of faith. Leading others to walk the road of love leaves a legacy for generations to continue trusting and passing on ancestral hope in Creator Sets Free.
Prayer
With open arms and hearts, we receive your fruit of love. Help us to bear a harvest and share from generation to generation a legacy of love to heal our earth and world.
