Understand life through the Spirit
“Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!” (Ezekiel 37:4b)
Recall for a moment a time when you were really, really thirsty.
Do you remember how you felt? Fatigued? Parched? Light-headed? At that point all you really wanted was some water to quench your thirst and help you feel better.
Our Bible verse for this week helps us understand a thirst, which is far worse and sometimes seemingly harder to quench that even the most parched throat or dehydrated feeling. Ezekiel helps us to understand just how devastating spiritual thirst can be.
If you want to get the full pick, grab your Bible and read Ezekiel chapter 37. As you do, you will see a vision which God gave Ezekiel of a valley filled with dry bones. Imagine walking through Death Valley and having to step over one white, dry bone after another. It would likely be rather creepy and unsettling walk. God leaves no doubt about the meaning of the valley of dry bones – “these bones are the whole house of Israel.” In other words, the dry bones symbolized those who had been God’s children by faith and had fallen away from him. God even describes the way they are feeling “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” (Ezekiel 37:11).
Ponder the last two phrases in the words where those who were once God’s people describe how they are feeling – “our hope is gone; we are cut off.” Thankfully many of us have had the hope and comfort of being a child of God almost our entire lives and have not had to live with our hope gone and the feeling of being cut off from God. But I’m guessing there are times in our lives when we have felt spiritually parched, hopeless and perhaps even helpless. If you can recall such a time, you get a taste of what spiritual thirst is like. Perhaps such a time was brought about by a sin we committed or maybe we were affected by the results of someone else’s sin. Maybe such a feeling of spiritual thirst was brought on because we had neglected God and his Word or had strayed in our faith.
To us and all those who feel such spiritual thirst God says the words of our verse for this week: “Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!” God’s Word is the only remedy for those who are or feel spiritually parched. No glass of water will help or any other cool, refreshing drink. Only the cool refreshment of the peace and forgiveness which God shares with us in his Word can quench spiritual thirst.
Today, the Christian Church observes Pentecost (literally 50 days after Easter) which marks God giving his New Testament Church the Holy Spirit in a very audible and visible way to reassure and strengthen them. Another reminder that only God the Holy Spirit working through the power of the Gospel can quench our spiritual thirst.
I carry around in my wallet a business sized card which has on it the mission, vision and values of The Lutheran Home Association. It is a constant reminder to me of what the mission of our ministry is all about. If you look at our vision, it reminds us that we strive “to share eternal hope, provide hope and inspire hope.” Think of how our vision stands in stark contrast to the one phrase we mentioned above “our hope is gone.”
Very likely in your role with TLHA you have encountered a person or people who feel like their hope is gone. Ask yourself “How can I help such dry bones hear the Word of the Lord?” It is not just the job of our chaplains to share the water of life with dry bones who feel like they have no hope. Every single one of us has the privilege to be a pitcher which pours out the water of life to those who are spiritually thirsty.
God bless you as you undertake that wonderful privilege of bringing hope to those who are spiritually parched!