Can These Bones Live?

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 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.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” Ezekiel 37:1-14 ESV

Let's face it: there are times when we seem to run out of road: our opportunities and hopes evaporate. We can identify with a valley of dry bones; we feel spent, dried up, with no place to go. Despite our optimism--even faith--every now and again we come to the "death" of something. Whether it be opportunity, promise, dream, or relationship. Even calm, mature, and wise folks can get discouraged when they confront discomforting circumstances beyond their control.

The disciples confronted this in the crucifixion of Jesus. There was a holy "now what?"  Jesus had gotten out of tough spots before, but not this time. The disciples were anticipating (or perhaps just hoping and praying for) another miracle. They hoped for some divine deliverance from this catastrophic judgment. But no deliverance came. Jesus died. They buried Him. They mourned Him. "Now what?"

Around my yard are a few large branches I laid among the wood chips in my flower beds. It wasn't my best decorating idea and I planned on cutting them up for firewood this spring. These branches were dead--cut from apple trees and left to dry out, rot or disintegrate. But one branch decided to sprout, instead!

Certainly, there is a perfectly good biological reason for this happening; but none of the other firewood has ever done this. In any case, God used this little  "Easter miracle" to remind me that not every disappointing ending is truly an ending.

Jesus arose! He experienced a painful and humiliating death and three days later calmly walked  out of a sealed stone grave. Death couldn't hold Him!

And God called Ezekiel to prophesy to a people feeling dead that He wasn't through with them yet.

God can do the improbable in His sleep. He can do the impossible just as easily. The God of Easter isn't finished with you and I--nor has He forgotten the promises He has given us. Sometimes old women have babies. Sometimes slaves become rulers. Sometimes prisons can't hold God's people. Sometimes fiery furnaces don't burn them. Sometimes one can nap in a den of lions. Sometimes dead bones are called back to life. Sometimes God is quietly at work breathing life into those hopes you had given up for dead.

At ALL times, however, God is faithful, trustworthy, and loving. In ALL of our circumstances, we can place our trust and faith in Him. God is at work all the time and He is good all the time!