Do I Have to Get Up?
Lent 5: OT, Ezekiel 37:1-14
Everyone knows this one. Well almost everyone. And most people know this prophetic account not from the Bible, but from a Bible SONG. You know, “the toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, etc.” It is a great tune alright, but of course the lesson with which we have to do is so much more. The prophet Ezekiel is getting a tour of Israel’s soon-to-be future. Now the two best things about the tour are first, the guide who happens to be the LORD, and next the starting place: a pile of dry bones. I mean you can’t get worse off than being dead and dry right?
In this vision the LORD asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answers by passing the buck back into the hands of his tour guide (v.3). You know what happens. The LORD causes breath to enter into the bones, taking us back to the garden of beginnings, and the bones arise to live once again. But this lesson is NOT primarily about death to life resurrection. It’s rather an account of bringing the LORD’s people back after they had severely wandered away.
And what was it that brought them back? What was it that gave them life? “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, ‘O hear the word of the LORD’” (v.4). Breath indeed entered in the form of the Word of the Lord. And in short it wasn’t just death to life, but re-entrance to the land of promise. Their God-given task and purpose was restored. You see, even when we wander, we’re watched. Even though we falter, we’re not finished. Why? Because our life, our living comes in His promises which are always active and always for our good. Now hear the Word of the Lord!
- Been wandering lately? Too dry to be of use to the Lord or to anyone? Then hear the word of the Lord. Think of the ways we have at our disposal to take it in. Crack a Bible or click a mouse. Take in the Word of the Lord today.
- Ezekiel lived in unfamiliar territory. And not by choice. These days, we’re walking in new places. Remember that the Lord knows right where you are and right where He can find You. He loves YOU.
