Can These Bones Live? – Eze 37
In the middle of a valley filled with dry bones, God asked Ezekiel a crazy question, “Son of man, can these bones live?” What a question! I feel like it must have hung in the air for a while, with the word “live” echoing “LIVE, Live, live…”
Ezekiel answered cautiously but with faith, “O Lord God, thou knowest.” He wasn’t really sure. From a human perspective, there was was no hope. But he knew with God all things are possible.
God went on to do the impossible, bringing the bones together, attaching sinews and flesh, and filling them with life. This illustrates God’s plan for Israel. Though it looked like all hope was lost and they would never live as a nation again, God said He was going to bring them back to the land, reunited them, and dwell among them for all the world to wonder and worship.
For Israel and for us, we are often faced with similar situations. God asks us: “Can dead men come to life? Can the lost be saved? Can I do the impossible? Can I bring hope to the hopeless? Can I restore broken lives and broken homes? Can I do…?”
And those questions hang in the air every morning and every night! And we must wrestle with our answer. On one hand, as we see the bones around us, they seem very much dead and dry. Of course, they can’t live – it’s impossible! But then, we think about who is asking the question – it’s God, the One who made the first man out of dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life! Maybe it’s not so impossible!
We live in this in-between state – seeing deadness around us but also seeing by faith the life that God can give! And may we respond in faith, “O Lord, thou knowest!” Of course, God can give life to all who believe on Him!