DRY BONES

Many years ago, when I woke up from a really strange dream, I told Bill, “It must have been the pepperoni pizza.” From then on, whenever we have a wild dream, we smile and blame that ole pepperoni pizza.

Have you read Ezekiel? He didn’t have a dream caused by a pizza; he had a vision from the heavens. I love the first chapter because I have a vivid imagination and can feel the windstorm, flashing lightning and fire. I can hear the voice from above and see the glory of the Lord. Ezekiel fell facedown! Then God said to him, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”

What do you want to bet that Ezekiel’s knees were weak and his hands were shaking? I wonder what was going through his mind. Was he trying to remember just how good/bad he had been?

Fast forward to chapter 37 and Ezekiel is now in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

SCRIPTURES: EZEKIEL 37: parts of various verses

God: “Son of man, can these bones live?”

Ezekiel: “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

God: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.”

DRY BONES

Just how confused do you think poor ole Ezekiel was? First he gets a vision, which made him fall down flat, and now God tells him to speak to dry bones. Maybe he did have pepperoni pizza after all.

AND NOW

Go back and read Ezekiel chapters 1 and 37:1-14. Chapter one is just way cool. Chapter 37 was written to the Israelites to give them hope.

I am sure thinking about my broken arm and doing therapy this morning is why I thought about the scripture on dry bones. I don’t know about you, but there are times I have felt like a dry bone. Like the world was moving and I was just standing still. Like nothing I did turned out right. Like God was very far away.

“So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet -- a vast army.”

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

O Lord, Thank you for the hope sent through your prophet, Ezekiel. Put your Spirit in me so I may stand and live. Live and not be a dry bone. … Amen