This makes me think on Ezekiel 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones. This was the vision that God had shown Ezekiel, and was symbolic of the spiritual life of Israel, living in captivity as slaves, far from the purpose that the Lord had raised them up as a nation for. Their existence was literally one of "dry bones." Bones that had nothing of life, His life, left in them.
Can you imagine what it must have seemed like to Ezekiel to see that valley? Likely in that vision he may have even walked there, crunching all those bones underfoot. Could there be a more desolate place to see, or hear? Yet, in that valley, the Father asked him directly, "Can these dry bones live?" Ezekiel said in effect, "You're the only one that give an answer for that Lord." He was admitting that seeing that happen was beyond his imagination, but he knew that somehow, it wasn't beyond the Father's ability. He was right, and God then breathed His life into those bones, and what was dead past any human hope of life, came alive with the fullness of His Life. The Father wanted Ezekiel to know that Israel could and would come alive with His Life once more. Could it be that He wants you and I to know the same in our lives today? Do you find yourself in the valley of dry bones? Dry bones of failure, disappointment, broken relationships, betrayal, addiction....sin. You may have made choices that put you there, or, the actions and choices of others may have driven you there. Whatever the reason, life has become nothing more than a pile of dry bones. To you He comes and asks, "Can these dry bones live.......again?" Can they?
Can you imagine what it must have seemed like to Ezekiel to see that valley? Likely in that vision he may have even walked there, crunching all those bones underfoot. Could there be a more desolate place to see, or hear? Yet, in that valley, the Father asked him directly, "Can these dry bones live?" Ezekiel said in effect, "You're the only one that give an answer for that Lord." He was admitting that seeing that happen was beyond his imagination, but he knew that somehow, it wasn't beyond the Father's ability. He was right, and God then breathed His life into those bones, and what was dead past any human hope of life, came alive with the fullness of His Life. The Father wanted Ezekiel to know that Israel could and would come alive with His Life once more. Could it be that He wants you and I to know the same in our lives today? Do you find yourself in the valley of dry bones? Dry bones of failure, disappointment, broken relationships, betrayal, addiction....sin. You may have made choices that put you there, or, the actions and choices of others may have driven you there. Whatever the reason, life has become nothing more than a pile of dry bones. To you He comes and asks, "Can these dry bones live.......again?" Can they?
Louie Giglio commenting on this in his book Passion, wrote, "Ezekiel's valley represents the lowest and darkest place of life.......Maybe something lived in that place once, but that was a long time ago." It may seem that way with many of us right now. Life, real life in Him, may seem like something we knew long ago, if we ever knew it at all. What Giglio said next is what we need to hear, and what we need to know. "No matter what we might see when we look at a valley of dry bones, it's certainly not what the God of immeasurably more sees." Though Ezekiel could not see what those dry bones could be, the Father did, and with a God breathed word, they came to life. In short, He said "live," and they did. Can we dare to believe that in our valley of dry bones, wherever and whatever it is, the God of Immeasurably More can breathe His life into it and bring resurrection life? In that valley of bones, He comes, and no matter why we're there, He asks us to receive Him there, believe Him there, trust Him there, and behold Him to make that valley of death, a high place of His life. Right there. Can our dry bones live? The Lord knows. Will we?
Blessings,
Pastor O
Blessings,
Pastor O
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