Fifth Week in Lent: Old Testament, Ezekiel 37:1-14                                

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Who hasn’t heard the children’s song based on this Bible passage? “Oh the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone. The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone …” and on it goes. It’s fun to learn as a kid. But most learn it completely devoid of its biblical home or meaning. Strange to think that’s the way many of us even encounter bits and pieces of the Bible in church. We are not good at teaching people the right context and setting. We need to do better. 

But here we see the visual projection of promises made by God to show Himself faithful to His people. People who have rebelled against His very Word again, and again, and again. But God promises His forgiveness. And like any good Lutheran I would add that where we find forgiveness, we also find life and salvation. It’s true for us and it was true in the picture God was painting for His people in Ezekiel 37.

God provides life by His Word and Spirit. Those in tandem raise the dead, put flesh on their bones and breath in their lungs. God is a God of life. Sometimes in the midst of the Lenten season that is hard to perceive. But oh, it is true in Lent just at other times of the church year. Perhaps as we read of the dry bones, bones on the outside of life, we can ask God to open our eyes to see the value of knowing our condition without Him. Life without God isn’t life at all. But when He gives Himself to and for us, His life cannot be contained. God loves to raise the dead. Make no bones about it.