Dry Bones

I've been contemplating the image in Ezekiel 37 of dry bones. Ezekiel sees a valley of dry bones (think old skeletons) and God asks him "can these bones live?" Ezekiel responds: "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

When I look at the church (the U.S. church at large), too often I see a valley of dry bones. Skeletons, sitting in pews, without real spiritual life. Why do I say this? Because Jesus said that He came to offer us real LIFE... and then He described that life in many ways. He talked about His followers stepping out in radical faith moves, being radically generous, loving the unlovable, changing the world. How many churches do you know that could be said to be truly changing the world around them? If the answer is "none" or "very few" then you, too, can see... dry bones.

Are your bones dry? Are your church's bones dry? Jesus offers us LIFE... if we choose to follow Him... not just on Sunday, but 24-7. God's Spirit offers life... if we yield our lives to Him.

Good news: In Ezekiel's case, here's what happened:

"Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

Picture this: Your dry bones, my dry bones, and the church's dry bones coming to life, moving out in the power of the Holy Spirit, changing the world.

That's LIFE.