Look to the Hills

Look to the Hills

Leroy Elgo

Daagot’ee! My name is Pastor Leroy Elgo. I was born and raised on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. I’m the pastor of the San Carlos Apache Baptist Church in Peridot, Arizona. And I would like to share with you how the Lord rescued me from myself.

One day in 1984, I was in a bad car accident and hurt my back. I had already been going through a lot, but this accident caused me to think about my life and especially about death. I was frustrated with life and scared about what awaited me in eternity. I wasn’t able to work for two weeks, so I had plenty of time to think about all the things that hadn’t worked out for me in life.

I had been educated—at Haskell Institute in Oklahoma. I had served in the US Army. I even had a good work ethic. But I didn’t feel like I had ever thrived any­where, regardless of my environment. I had spent much of my life living for myself—drinking and run­ning around and doing all kinds of things. My family was very traditional, but that had never helped us. It didn’t matter what we tried or how much effort we made—nothing ever seemed to work out. Life felt frustrating and pointless. That was the “horrible pit” where God found me.

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. –Psalm 40:2

God used the example of my wife, Virgilene, to get through to me. She heard the Gospel and accepted Jesus as her Savior. She had been attending church, and she began sharing what she was learning with me. I could see good changes in every area of her life—she seemed genuinely happy while serving the Lord and serving others.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. –Romans 1:16

…how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. –I Corinthians 15:3-4

Virgilene also began to treat me differently. She was able to look past all the ways I had failed her as a husband and see me for the man God wanted me to be—the man I had been created to be. I found myself wanting to know the God Who could breathe new life into such a strained marriage. One night, I knelt down by my bed and prayed, finally giving my life to the Lord. That was the night My Creator gave me a new heart, a new start, and a new destination.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. –II Corinthians 5:17

I thank God for using Virgilene to be instrumental in my salvation. But that was only the beginning. God blessed our marriage and allowed us to serve Him together until her passing in 2021. It has been hard without her, and I miss her every day. But I know that she is with our Savior—not because of her own good­ness, but because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am thankful that God placed her in my life to show me the powerful joy that comes from serving the Lord and serving others.

…And he said unto Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep. –John 21:17

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. –Matthew 25:40

We have a lot of problems on our reservations—alcohol, drugs, and violence. Many turn to traditions in search for help, only to be disappointed (Matthew 15:3-9). That is why our help must come from our Creator.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and earth. –Psalm 121:1-2

The words of Psalm 121 are painted on a sign that stands in our church parking lot today. These verses give confidence during times of danger and uncer­tainty. They point us to the only help we need for the journey of life (Psalm 73:24-26).

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. –II Corinthians 4:6

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. –Romans 10:12-13

The Bible says that there is no difference between ethnicities—God values every life. Jesus left Heaven to die on the cross for all races—the human race. He doesn’t favor one tribe over another. Maybe you’ve heard that Jesus is for white people only, or that white people made Jesus up—I heard that many times myself. But God is bigger than all that. Our Creator is bigger than cultural boundaries, ra­cial prejudice, and historical injustice. He loves all people, cares about all people, and wants to help all people.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. –II Peter 3:9

Life is difficult, and following Jesus can be discouraging. But following Jesus is the only way that this life makes sense. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:67-69). God doesn’t expect us to have all the answers, but He does expect us to get our answers from Him alone.

Only our Creator has a plan to save us from the penalty of our sin. That is why Jesus died on the cross—to make a way for us to have a relationship with our Creator. I am so thankful for the love that God has shown us!

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. –Romans 5:8-9

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. –Romans 6:23

Every life matters to God. Your life matters to God (Psalm 139). He has given all of us a choice to make in this lifetime—will we come to Him His way? I want to encourage you to search the Word of God and build your life on the words of Jesus (Matthew 7:24-29). God can do miracles in your life and make life worth living. He can redeem your mistakes like He did mine.

The beauty of this earth points to our wise Creator Who continues to provide what is necessary for life. Where else can we go for this kind of help? Why would we settle for less than the power of God for this life and eternity?

Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. –Isaiah 55:6

…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. –Joshua 24:15

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways ac­knowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. –Proverbs 3:5-7

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. –Psalm 40:1-4

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