Can These Bones Live?

The hand of the Lord was on me and brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" -Ezekiel 37:1-3 (NIV)

In today's suggested scripture reading, God brings Ezekiel out and sets him in the middle of a valley of dry bones. The dry bones represent the people of Israel who feel as if their hope is gone and that they have been cut off from God. God asks Ezekiel a question that I've asked and heard asked time and time again: can these dry bones live?

A while back, I was talking to a clergy friend who was in essence asking this same question. Like most pastors, he spends the majority of his time doing ministry: sharing the burdens of others, caring for those in need, offering a listening ear, a healing touch, or a glimpse of God. He's working way too much and is way too weary as a result. After being fully present for his congregation during the day, he has very little left to give to his family at night. He's trying to faithfully honor a time of daily scripture reading and reflection but feels as if he is just going through the motions. Sometimes, he feels so spiritually dry that he wonders: with all that I have on me, how can these dry bones live?

In the scripture today, the dry bones represent the weary Israelites whose spirits have been crushed by exile. But what about you? Where are the dry bones in your life and what do they represent? Are you working too hard? Not working at all? Has the death of a loved one left you scattered and dead like bones in a valley? Do you feel alone and alienated from God? Are you just going through the motions with your faith, your family, and/or your friends?

The good news of the text this morning is that God can bring new life into dry dead bones if we will invite and invoke the Spirit's presence into our lives. When the Spirit comes, the Spirit brings life and further evidence that God is God.

May God grant you the grace to believe and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit today and may it bring new life into your dry, brittle bones.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggestions are Ezekiel 38-39, Psalm 145, and Revelation 20.