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One of my favorite worship songs is "Rattle" by Elevation Worship. I love the lyric, "This is the sound of dry bones rattling," which references the passage from Ezekiel 37:1-14.
Some commentators say, "This text is not filled with hope and comfort." Not filled with hope and comfort? Rather than grief and mourning over what is lost at this time, I read this passage and see new life!
God shows Ezekiel a valley filled with dry bones and commands him to prophesy to them and to the wind and ultimately to the house of Israel. Ezekiel states, "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered [the dry bones]; they came to life and stood up on their feet -- a vast army" (v. 10 NIV).
After suffering defeat from their enemies, the Israelites were enslaved and in exile, dead in their faith and lacking hope in God's promise to restore their nation. They had abandoned the Lord, and they no longer trusted the covenant promises God made to their forefathers to send a Redeemer, to deliver them from captivity, and to resettle them in their own land.
Spiritually, they were a dead people; much like the valley of dried-up bones, their hearts withered.
It is easy, when times are good, to think we would never doubt God's promise. But times were not good for the Israelites. They were defeated, in many ways. Perhaps you have been there. You might be able to take one defeat, but defeat on top of being "held captive," being afraid, or being alone, overwhelms you. Maybe you are feeling that right now. And, like the Israelites, you are starting to doubt God's promise.
In times of struggle, it is easy to forget His provision.
Or maybe you trust His promise if it is provided on your time. If I ask God for something and I see an immediate return on my "investment," I stay committed.
In fact, I may find myself increasing my buy-in. But, ask and wait? Not my strength! Are we selling out when the "investments" start to take a downward dip?
Recently, a friend decided to sell off all his stocks because he was losing money. He asked why I was not doing the same. I told him, "When I made my investments, I felt they were sound decisions. I knew that I was not in it for the short gain, but for the long haul. In times like these, I increase my investments, not decrease them."
Are we doing that with God? In our dry seasons, in our times of struggle, in our moments of worry and fear, are we drawing closer to God, or are we "selling"? Did we make our "investment" for the short term or long term?
We have an opportunity in this dark time to believe in God's long term promise and to be a light to others. We have an opportunity to have new breath breathed into us, for without it we are just empty flesh and dry bone. We can stand as an army and testify to God's promise, to His provision.
God is faithful, and we can trust in His Word!
Tammey Aichner, United Churches of Lycoming County