Loving God, into the midst of our wilderness you come with promises of new life. Kindle your Spirit within us this day, that we might have life in all its fulness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have you ever felt as if you are right there in the middle of that valley full of dry bones that Ezekiel is describing (Ezek. 37:1-14)? Have you ever felt as if your bones are dried up and your hope is lost? You certainly don’t have to have your nation in ruins in order to be able to identify. The loss of a loved one can feel like this – or the loss of a job, or a home, or your independence, or your health. People sometimes feel hopeless if a relationship comes to an end, or even if life’s challenges just seem to be too much to bear. At other times, we might be feeling spiritually dry, as if the life has been sucked out of us and hope has faded away.

It is a scene that is all too easy to identify with – either because of our current experiences or the things that we have experienced in the past. My suspicion is that many of us have been there, surveying the dry bones all around us as our world has come crashing down and wondering hopelessly, “Can these bones live?” Yet, the message of Ezekiel’s vision is not one of despair, but of hope.

When God asks the question, “Can these bones live?,” the obvious and logical answer is a resounding “no!” Bringing a dead body back to life would be unthinkable enough. A whole valley full of dry bones? – I don’t think so! Yet, we forget that we are talking about God here – the giver of all life. The promise that is given through the prophet Ezekiel is as amazing as it is hope-filled: “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live” (Ezek. 37:14).

Of course, the burning question for anybody who finds themselves in the middle of that valley full of dry bones is, how does this happen? How does God’s Spirit come to us and fill us and give us life?

Well, first off, we need to know that it is God who takes the initiative. Lazarus doesn’t ask to be raised from the dead. The dry bones don’t raise themselves to life. God speaks through Ezekiel and through Jesus, calling forth life out of death. God takes the initiative, yet, in Ezekiel, there is one thing that seems to precede this new life. In Ezekiel, it is the sins of the people that have led to the death and destruction of the nation of Israel. They had turned away from the living God and had followed their own selfish designs and desires. And so, in one of the passages where the people are told that they need a new heart and a new spirit, they are also told to turn away from their sins and live (Ezek. 18:31-32).

In the same way, we also are told to turn away from sin and towards God. Now, this is not to say that we cause all of the situations in our lives that might lead us to lose hope. In some cases, we might well bring trouble on ourselves through our sins, but in other cases, things happen to us because of the sinful world in which we live. The truth is, though, that regardless of what has led us to despair, a life-giving relationship with God always involves turning away from sin and towards God, placing our faith in Jesus Christ.

And so, how does God’s Spirit come to us and fill us and give us life? For those who have never been baptized, the first answer would be through repentance and baptism. For those who have been baptized, perhaps it is more a matter of awakening the gift that is already within us. God’s Spirit has been given to us, but unless we are tuning in to God, and opening ourselves to God’s presence, and using the gifts of the Spirit that have been given to us, that same Spirit isn’t able to do very much with us.

At the same time, we cannot underestimate the value of placing our faith and our trust in Jesus Christ. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, it seems that the faith of Mary and Martha is of central importance. Martha, especially, says to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world” (Jn. 11:27). Jesus is able to give life and healing when people put their faith in him. On the contrary, where there is no faith, Jesus is unable to do many deeds of power (Mt. 13:58).

And so, how shall we summarize the path to new life, especially when our starting point is a valley of despair and hopelessness, filled with dry bones? First, it is God who takes the initiative, and the good news is that God has already done that through his Son, Jesus Christ. Second, we always need to have an attitude of repentance that turns us away from sin and towards God. Third, we need to be open to the Holy Spirit, either by being baptized or by awakening the gift that is already within us. And finally, our faith and trust needs to be in Jesus.

In Ezekiel, the new life comes with a rattling of bones and the rush of a mighty wind. The breath - the wind - the spirit (all the same word in Hebrew) comes and fills the lifeless bodies and gives new life. It is a powerful image, yet how does it translate into the experiences of our lives? Remember that the dry bones did not raise themselves and neither did Lazarus. When we are in that place of despair, most often God acts through other people, and especially through our brothers and sisters in Christ. God reaches out to us through the words of others, the prayers of others, and the touch of others. God uses other people to put his spirit within us and give us life. And, ultimately, it is that same Spirit of God who enables us to have repentance and faith.

In Ezekiel, there are two things that result when God’s spirit is within his people. The first thing is obedience – living in harmony with God’s commands (Ezek. 11:19-20; 36:26-27). The second thing is an awareness of God’s presence and power (Ezek. 39:28-29). As it turns out, these things are just as true when the Holy Spirit is given in the New Testament, but with more and even better gifts. God puts the Holy Spirit within us, and we are set free to live in love and are given eternal life.

During this wilderness season, as we look forward to new life, hear the word of the Lord: “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live” (Ezek. 37:14). Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lent 5(A) Ezekiel 37:1-14
March 9, 2008 John 11:1-45
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

© 2008 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved