Life & Dry Bones

This place feels so unfamiliar; my words a tad bit rusty. I haven't written in a while and I have many great excuses to make sense of it all. Rather than rehash on my blog what's already been taken note of on my mental sticky, I'll just explain my journey as of late.

I am a planner. I'm spontaneous. But I like routine. I'd classify myself as a night owl. But in the mornings I reap the benefits. ;) I can tend to be over-analytical. I'm pensive.

I. Hate. The. Unknown.

Life is full of unknowns. I suppose I'm not the first to desire to have it all "figured out". I've been convicted lately; I don't always trust God when I should. "But what about this bill Lord? What if I'm not good enough? What if I don't make the right decision? How is this going to work out?" The questions run endless like a broken record in monotonous redundancy.

I. Don't. Always. Trust. God.

Then I find that my questions occur most when I begin to place my trust in man - what a terrifying habit we so often make. Just when I think I've got it all figured out, I'm reminded that no-one outside of the Lord can be my single source of joy. No geographical location is going to cure sadness, no objects will dismiss my pain, no person will cure my dissatisfaction.

I. Need. God.

Tomorrow night in our youth group at my home church, I have been given the opportunity to preach a salvation message. I am going to be preaching out of Ezekiel 37 on the message of "The Valley of Dry Bones". A friend of mine in Florida spoke on this in her youth group and the message just gripped me.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 says this...

1 The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath^[a^] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 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.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

I have become a pile of dry bones. I have grown weary. I have forgotten the power of God's love and His grace in my life. I have lacked tendons, skin, and breath within me. Who are we to walk away from our creator? How ignorant at times for me to believe that I can do it on my own. That which created me is concerned for me and desires to live inside of me. May I never become a pile of dry bones again. Even if in a valley, I will walk with breath and life inside of me!