Rev Renewal – March 23, 2020

Rev Renewal – March 23, 2020

“He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know” (Ezekiel 37:3)

The prophet Ezekiel experiences a unique vision in his life.  He is led by the Lord into a valley of dry bones.  As he led throughout the valley of dry bones, the Lord asks of him “Can these bones live”.  To Ezekiel, being just a man, he is aware that only the Lord knows whether the dry bones can live.  So why would the Lord even ask Ezekiel the question?

The story of the dry bones continues as the Lord instructs Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones.  He is to prophesy that the Lord would make breath enter the bones and that life would be restored. As Ezekiel prophesies, just as the Lord indicated, the dry bones receive tendons and proper connections, and their life is restored.

The Lord then informs Ezekiel that the dry bones represent the people of Israel who had become dried up.  The people of Israel had lost all hope and they felt cut off.  However, the Lord was not through with the people and would in fact restore their hope and bring life back into them.  Ezekiel was to prophesy to the people about this restoration.

We, too, in this time of much uncertainty, may be experiencing a sense of hopeless or loss.  Through all that continues to take place, we may be feeling a bit dried up.  Yet, the Lord is not through with us yet, and desires for us to receive from him new breath, so that our lives may continue.

This new breath comes to us by way of Christ’s death and resurrection.  May we continue to seek the hope found in God’s promise.  Christ has overcome the powers of evil that continue to be present today.  Christ has entered our lives to bring us forgiveness and the promise of eternal life.

At times, we may not know if our dried-up bones are able to live.  Even so, God is calling us as the body of Christ to trust in his promise that life and breath are still possible.  We are to be the voice proclaiming that through Christ, our hope can be renewed.  The breath of life which came to us at the beginning, continues to enter us each day as God’s grace, mercy, and love abound.

The valley of dry bones is not the end.  The life giving breath of the Lord sustains us and will continue to sustain us each and every day.

Blessings,
Pastor Arlyn ><>