DRY BONES

No, this is not going to be a post about osteoporosis.

(Though at my age, it could be…)

It's about feeling dry, empty, useless, and dead inside.

Now I know that this feeling is unique to me, right?  No one else has ever felt this way.  Uh, yeah…

We have ALL felt this way at some point in our lives.  Maybe you're feeling that way right now.

Like your spiritual gas tank is on empty.  Like the well is dry.  Like the bucket has been drained.  Like you're in the middle of a desert with no oasis in sight.

I'm kinda walking that journey right now.  


So, I'm thinking about a passage from the book of Ezekiel (found in Chapter 37).

It's kind of a weird passage in some ways.  Ezekiel and God have an interesting encounter.  And God gives Ezekiel a vision.  A rather effective object lesson about a valley of dry bones.  

And I think it reads like a very exciting movie scene!


Let's listen in to the conversation:

"The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones.  He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor.  They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out.  Then he asked me, 'Son of man, can these bones become living people again?'

'O Sovereign Lord,' I replied, 'you alone know the answer to that.'"

(Good, Ezekiel!  Right answer!!)


Then the Lord says this:

"Look!  I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!  I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin.  I will put breath into you, and you will come to life.  Then you will know that I am the Lord."

Exciting, huh?!

And so, Ezekiel does what the Lord asks him to do – he speaks a message to the bones.

(Good, Ezekiel!  Right thing to do!!)


And this is when it gets interesting:

"Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley.  The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons.  Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones.  Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them."


I love this word picture.

It so accurately reflects how I feel when I'm feeling dry.

Yeah, I might rally myself out of bed.  I might get those creaky legs moving…slowly.  I might rattle around, effectively imitating a human being.

But as far as my spirit – I still have no breath in me.

I'm a spiritual zombie.

However, the story does not end here.

The Lord has more in store!

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.'"


I find all sorts of encouragement in this whole scene.

Yes, I know this vision pertained to the nation of Israel.  But, I don't think the Lord would mind if we apply it to ourselves.

For He knows how we go through dry times.

Times when we feel spiritually empty, tired, weary.  Like dry bones lying around useless.

And here's the dilemma.  What to do during these times?  How do we get out of the valley?

Are you like me?  Do you try to drum up some spiritual vigor on your own?

Are you like me?  Do you plaster on a spiritual "happy face" and tell everyone how great you're doing, even though on the inside you're feeling dead?

Are you like me?  Do you sometimes give up and just accept the deadness, thinking it might never go away?


My friends, let us all remember this…

The story does not end here!

Matthew Henry has some interesting commentary on this:

"No created power could restore human bones to life.  God alone could cause them to live…The wind was an emblem of the Spirit of God, and represented his quickening powers…and it represents the power and grace of God…[who will] put his Spirit within us, and keep us by his power, through faith..."


Yes, it is the Lord who will restore us.

Like a rushing wind, the Holy Spirit will once again sweep into us with power and strength and life.  It may not be today, or tomorrow – but He will come.

Actually, He's already there.

And He wants to bring us back to spiritual vitality.

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'O my people, I will…cause you to rise again…When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord.  I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again.'"


Hearing those words brings a smile to my face. 

For I know it's true.  The Lord will bring me through the desert, for HE is the oasis of Living Water that will sustain me.

He will breathe new life into my wearied soul, and I will rise again.

One last image:

"They all came to life and stood up on their feet – a great army."


Hey you guys, I'm tired of feeling bony.  Are you?

Let’s become an army!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Now hear the word of the Lord.

(Words from a well-known spiritual song) 

"'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.'" (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

"'For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.'" (Jeremiah 31:25, ESV)

"'...those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.'" 
(John 4:14, NLT)

"'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.'" (Matthew 5:6, NIV)

"For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things." (Psalm 107:9, NLT)

"...those who seek the LORD lack no good thing." (Psalm 34:10, NIV)

"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11, NIV)

"They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit." (Jeremiah 17:8, NLT)

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.  But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31, NLT)

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." (Psalm 23:1-4, NLT)

"He will feed his flock like a shepherd.  He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.." (Isaiah 40:11, NLT)



Are you feeling like a valley of dry bones - spiritually empty?  How does this vision encourage you?



Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, UNFORCED RHYTHMS, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, SALT & LIGHT, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, UNITE, TITUS 2 TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, WHIMSICAL WEDNESDAYS, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAYS, WEDNESDAY'S PRAYER GIRLS, CAPTURE YOUR JOURNEY, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, WHAT YOU WISH WEDNESDAY, WINSOME WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, SO MUCH AT HOME, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, THRIVING THURSDAY, EVERYDAY JESUS, HEARTS FOR HOME, GRACE AT HOME, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAYS, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, SATURDAY SOIREE, RECOMMENDATION SUNDAY, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



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