Week Eight, 2019
HOW DRY ARE YOU?
“So, I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10).
The vision of Ezekiel in chapter 37 of his book is one of the most powerful anywhere in the Old Testament. He sees a valley covered with dry bones. God asks him whether they can come back to life. Rather than a simple “Of course not”, he says, “Sovereign Lord, only you can answer that.”
He is told to “prophesy to the bones” that God would bring them back to life, and so it happens: the bones come together, they are covered with sinews and muscles and skin. He then prophesies to the wind, and it comes from the four corners of the earth and gives the bodies life. Is it any more than a dream?
The vision is meant to convey what God wants to do for his people of Judah, both the ones in Jerusalem and the ones in exile in Babylon. They are, to all intents and purposes, dry bones. At this stage in their history they had been invaded and conquered. The best of them, Ezekiel among them, had been deported to a strange land. There looked to be no prospect of their country ever rising again. The nation, as a nation, was dead. So the question God was asking Ezekiel was, “Do you believe I can raise Israel to life again?” Given the evidence before him, Ezekiel’s answer was one of faith, not of doubt: it implies God can do anything. The exiles would return. Jerusalem would prosper again.
But the Valley of Dry Bones doesn’t just speak of God’s grace to Israel. It has a profound message to Christians today, as well. In many places, the Church looks dead. Churches and chapels are empty, Christian witness is sparse or non-existent, and there is nothing, but the dry bones of spirituality left.
What this story says is that God can bring the dead to life again. Ezekiel sees a two-part process. First the dry bones will rise back to life as life is breathed into them. Secondly, those dry bones will rise not only physically, but also spiritually and they will revive and preserve the people of Israel.
This prophesy speaks to people and churches today. In many churches the form of religion is there, but the spirit is absent. Empty rituals are performed out of habit. Doctrines are parroted without truth, heartfelt understanding. There is a church structure without the strength that comes from a deep relationship with God.
- Disobedience has Created Distance.
- Distance has Created Dryness.
- Dryness has Created Desperation.
But God can “make these bones live”, too. There is no situation into which He can’t breathe life. In Hebrew the words for “wind” and “breath” are the same. God’s Holy Spirit is His gift to the Church, and He can enliven even places and people who seem beyond hope.
Ezekiel’s vision is a vision to encourage all of us. It’s a vision of resurrection. It offers hope for everyone.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
ARE YOU STRESSED?
For those of us who follow the news, it’s not surprising that more Americans than ever before are stressed, depressed, and anxiety-ridden. Nearly forty million Americans experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the US.
Some people struggle with anxiety on a level that becomes a barrier to their enjoyment of life, a condition known as being “almost anxious.” Others struggle with more serious issues that develop into debilitating anxiety disorders. Such people need to seek the help of medical and counseling professionals.
For all of us, however, anxiety is an ever-increasing problem. What does God’s word say to those who are anxious today? Jim Denison
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Nothing like a good Bible story to make your day. Adam was hanging around the garden of Eden feeling very lonely. So, God asked him, “What’s wrong with you?” Adam said he didn’t have anyone to talk to.
God said that He was going to make Adam a companion and that it would be a woman. He said, “This pretty lady will gather food for you, she will cook for you, and when you discover clothing, she will wash it for you. She will always agree with every decision you make and she will not nag you, and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you’ve had a disagreement. She will praise you!
She will bear your children, and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will NEVER have a headache and will freely give you love and passion whenever you need it.
Adam asked God, “What will a woman like this cost? God replied, “An arm and a leg.” Then Adam asked, “What can I get for just a rib?”
Of course, the rest is history!!!!
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
People are prisoners of their phones. That’s why they are called cell phones.
All of us have an expiration date… we just do not know when it is.
Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening. It just stops you from enjoying the things that are good. —Peanuts
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best two cures for anything. Irish Proverb
All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. —Charles Schultz
I thought growing old would take longer. Anonymous
Truth is true, even if only God knows it.