Skeletons are not just for Halloween anymore. They are everywhere! I am not sure what has made them so popular over the last decade, but they pop up on everything from energy drinks to clothing brands, to record labels. When I see a skeleton, I almost always remember the song I sang as a kid, “Dem bones, dem bones, dem dryyyyy bones, hear the Word of the Lord!” This song referred to a Bible story. The Lord showed the prophet Ezekiel a vision: There was a valley full of slain humans who had become dry, scattered bones. At the Lord’s command, the bones re-assembled into skeletons, then muscles and skin covered the bones, and with His breath, these zombies came to life! (Ezekiel 37:1-14) Who says the Bible isn’t interesting?!
I am currently studying the skeletal system. If you want to be more amazed at the majesty, power, and wonder of God than you are watching the everyday nature around you, study the human body! Even at a cursory glance, it is an unbelievable machine! The fact that I can tell my toes to spread out, but don’t have to tell my heart to beat, or my pupils to dilate is magical! We can control our breathing, but if we forget, all is not lost! Our body will do that on its own! Every bodily component and function, from the most obvious to the ones to which we are oblivious, possesses its own wonder. While doing my review of body bones, my son walked in with a Grateful Dead t-shirt on. If you are not familiar with this popular band, first of all, where have you been? Second of all, their logos and merchandise have a skull or skeletons on them. What timing! I told my son to stand still while I reviewed the bones and their names. That made me grateful, at that moment, for The Dead. So of course I started singing. Not Touch of Grey, which is one of the band’s popular songs, but yes, you guessed it, Dem Bones! (Sorry Jerry!)
As I pondered the allegory of Ezekiel’s vision, I imagined that bones re-assembled and filled out would indeed be grateful dead. THEN…God’s Spirit breathed LIFE back into those old bags of bones! As if the assembly process wasn’t miracle enough.
And isn’t that just like our marvelous, loving God?! Amid our feeling totally sucked dry by life’s circumstances, we can refresh ourselves in the Savior’s presence! He takes our crumbly messes and reminds us that He is making sense and order out of it for His glory. LIFE will emerge from the dryest of circumstances!
“’ Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:13-14)
Life: Before believing in Jesus, it looks like dry bones are the destination – no future at all. After coming to have faith in Him, we belong to a power that makes something out of nothing, beauty out of ashes, and life out of death! And that life is eternal! We aren’t the grateful dead, but the grateful LIVING!
Circumstances: Even those who believe sometimes lose sight of the fact that the Lord of life can breathe His Spirit, His purpose, and His hope of a future into our dryness. When we are reminded of His power and purpose over everything, we are refreshed, renewed, and strengthened by His breath of life!
This world has lots of dark dryness. Jesus’s followers are filled with His Spirit of Life and Light, so we overcome that darkness! Come be refreshed by the Mighty God who breathes life into everything.
