DOG BONES
Ezekiel 37
Yesterday I was out in the backyard, cleaning up in preparation for a good, close mowing. I always begin by searching the grass for hidden objects that might become dangerous projectiles if caught in the mower blades. Usually I find tennis balls, squeeky toys, raw hide chewies, and other assorted things that Max the lumbering Labrador retriever has hauled outside for safekeeping.
To my surprise, while reaching for a toy, I came across a huge hole under the back porch. It's about three feet deep and four feet wide. Max is digging under there, and apparently has established this place to store his amazing collection of ancient soup bones. I would have never thought there could be so many bones in one place!
As I peered between the steps into that hole filled with bones, I recalled the valley of dry bones in
Ezekiel 37. The LORD showed the prophet a deep valley filled with bones; bones that had been desiccated, with no trace of life anywhere in them; bones that had been dead a long, long time. God asked Ezekiel, "Do you think these bones can be made alive again?" Ezekiel answered, "Only You know, LORD."
The Lord stood at the rim of the valley with Ezekiel and commanded to him speak aloud to the dead bones that He would make them alive again. And when Ezekiel repeated the words, he witnessed the astonishing flow of life back into the bones. Millions of people who were once dead suddenly became alive. A great army got to its feet, ready to serve the Lord who had revived them. What an event to behold!
Before we were saved, our skeletons were part of Ezekiel's bone pile. There was no spiritual life in us at all. We were dry, lacking blood and sinew; lacking any signs of spiritual life. In many cases, we were lean on temporal life as well. Some of us were sick, some were drug addicts or workaholics, and some were emotionally empty. We experienced and comprehended our lifelessness but were powerless to resuscitate ourselves. We could only lay around helplessly with the other dead bones.
At some point, God sent a prophet to each of us, someone to speak His words of eternal, abundant life, and we responded. The Lord resuscitated our spirits and covered the dryness with lushness. We stood up rejuvenated, ready to serve the One who gave us new life!
As I thought this over, I understood that all around me, at the store, at the park, at work, there are piles of old, dry bones who comprehend their aridness and wonder if there shouldn't be something vibrant going on inside. They wish God would send them a prophet to speak the words of life.
Then, with a shock, I realized that I am that prophet. God is showing me my own valley of dry bones to whom I must speak His words of Life.
God willing, my valley will rise up into a great army, ready to serve the Lord.
(Then He said to me, "Speak to the wind, speak, Son of man, and say, 'Listen to the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these who are slain, and make them alive again!'" Ezekiel 37:9)
Ezekiel 37
Yesterday I was out in the backyard, cleaning up in preparation for a good, close mowing. I always begin by searching the grass for hidden objects that might become dangerous projectiles if caught in the mower blades. Usually I find tennis balls, squeeky toys, raw hide chewies, and other assorted things that Max the lumbering Labrador retriever has hauled outside for safekeeping.
To my surprise, while reaching for a toy, I came across a huge hole under the back porch. It's about three feet deep and four feet wide. Max is digging under there, and apparently has established this place to store his amazing collection of ancient soup bones. I would have never thought there could be so many bones in one place!
As I peered between the steps into that hole filled with bones, I recalled the valley of dry bones in
Ezekiel 37. The LORD showed the prophet a deep valley filled with bones; bones that had been desiccated, with no trace of life anywhere in them; bones that had been dead a long, long time. God asked Ezekiel, "Do you think these bones can be made alive again?" Ezekiel answered, "Only You know, LORD."
The Lord stood at the rim of the valley with Ezekiel and commanded to him speak aloud to the dead bones that He would make them alive again. And when Ezekiel repeated the words, he witnessed the astonishing flow of life back into the bones. Millions of people who were once dead suddenly became alive. A great army got to its feet, ready to serve the Lord who had revived them. What an event to behold!
Before we were saved, our skeletons were part of Ezekiel's bone pile. There was no spiritual life in us at all. We were dry, lacking blood and sinew; lacking any signs of spiritual life. In many cases, we were lean on temporal life as well. Some of us were sick, some were drug addicts or workaholics, and some were emotionally empty. We experienced and comprehended our lifelessness but were powerless to resuscitate ourselves. We could only lay around helplessly with the other dead bones.
At some point, God sent a prophet to each of us, someone to speak His words of eternal, abundant life, and we responded. The Lord resuscitated our spirits and covered the dryness with lushness. We stood up rejuvenated, ready to serve the One who gave us new life!
As I thought this over, I understood that all around me, at the store, at the park, at work, there are piles of old, dry bones who comprehend their aridness and wonder if there shouldn't be something vibrant going on inside. They wish God would send them a prophet to speak the words of life.
Then, with a shock, I realized that I am that prophet. God is showing me my own valley of dry bones to whom I must speak His words of Life.
God willing, my valley will rise up into a great army, ready to serve the Lord.
(Then He said to me, "Speak to the wind, speak, Son of man, and say, 'Listen to the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these who are slain, and make them alive again!'" Ezekiel 37:9)
