Friday, September 19, 2008

Can These Bones Live?

I wanted to start with something I have been thinking about more and more lately. Every time I share the gospel with someone I feel more and more like Ezekiel standing in the valley of dried bones. In short, what I mean by that is that every time I share the gospel, I know to a greater degree that there is no way for people to be saved apart from God resurrecting those dead bones. God raises the question in the passage- "can these dead (and dry-absolutely no life, no marrow-nothing) bones live"? I know that unless He shows up, nothing is going to happen. There is complete and utter dependence on Him, and that's the only way anything will ever happen.
Here is the passage:

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ 5 “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 6 ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’”7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew 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 the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Another quick thought: Lost people don't experience relationship with God. They don't get to know His Love. They miss out on the greatest thing in the Universe, and the reason they were created. God hit me pretty hard with that after talking with a Hindu guy from India tonight.

Our task and our call is so important, too important to be neglected.

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