Dry Bones…
By: Kelley Hinson
Do you ever just feel off? Like everything you try to accomplish becomes a chore. That’s how it was this morning for me and it has continued on through the afternoon. Earlier today Shanna sent me her Bible roulette results, and we discussed it a bit, then wanting to hopefully get myself together enough to make my post, I grabbed my usual morning materials, a cup of coffee, took a deep breath, and sat down. Now, 8 hours later, I am ready to post.
When I started this morning, my Bible was still open to the passage that I had been discussing with Shanna, so, I said my prayer and I made one single big flip to see where it landed. It landed in the Book of Ezekiel. My original thought process through this passage was about 4 pages long, so I decided to spare you that and I picked out just a few points. So, here it goes.
The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Before you read this post, I would like you to first, read this passage on your own, then, put yourself in this valley with Ezekiel for just a moment.
“The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.”
See the desolation, the lack of life, endless amounts of bones scattered as far as the eye can see. We have all been in these valleys. Full of the trials, the despair, and death of something that once was alive, or what seems like an impossible situation we were facing.
“He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’”
Our logical mind, that we gained from this world, would say, absolutely not, impossible! They are beyond hope of any real renewal. We sometimes think these things to ourselves when we look at the addict, the alcoholic, the unrepentant soul that you have been praying for, for what seems like an eternity with no results. Sometimes, thinking these very things about ourselves in our own struggle. Can these bones live? We often judge, reject, and condemn based on what our logical mind deems impossible, but deep down inside, outside of the logical, hope remains. I can see my journey of renewal in this passage, and most of you can as well, I think. I have experienced death in my circumstance. My faith has suffered and…forgive me…became dry as a bone. The valley has swallowed me up, all but killed my faith, and I have considered myself spiritually dead. When you experience any form of profound suffering that circumstance can become all that you see, and affect your most prized relationship. Thankfully, He did not allow me linger too long in that place before he snapped me out of it. No one is beyond hope. So, yes, I believe those bones can live.
“I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
This statement got me. It’s a testament to our faith. Only God knows the answers to those questions our logical mind comes up with. It is up to us to let go of our logic and need for control, and let God show us and trust in the answer. In this above statement, Ezekiel placed his faith in God alone, and so should we..
In the remainder of the passage, God invited Ezekiel to join him in the renewal. Gave him a task, so to speak. He worked through Ezekiel, and it wasn’t Ezekiel’s power that brought those dry bones to life. He believed, he listened, he trusted, and he obeyed.
Today, God gives us that ability through belief in Christ. When you surrender, the pieces (bones) start to come together and take shape. You begin to grow stronger as you obey and continue on to become “doer’s of the Word” (James 1:22). We live out what we learn and do our best to mirror Jesus’s ways. You allow yourself to be molded. This doesn’t come from the environment around you or where you are located in whatever trial you are dealing with. This comes from God. With this new structure comes the relationship (the flesh, tendons, and skin), strengthening you, covering you, and molding you. You begin to see your purpose and design through God’s eyes and through Jesus’s power to heal and restore. God’s Spirit becomes a part of you, breathing life into you. Things look different and feel different, because they are different. God has the power to transform anything that appears dead into a living, breathing, and renewed spirit.
The more you listen, the more God reveals to you about who you are in Christ. Don’t worry about your ability when it comes to what He has placed on your heart. Pray, have faith and go where the Spirit leads you, regardless of the speed or presence of the results. Talk to that person about Jesus, write that book, sing that song, pray for..or with that person, invite them into a relationship with Christ so they can feel it too. Step out of your circle of comfort and do what the Lord has placed on your heart. Let God help you bring dry bones to life.
