Bones alive

God, you can raise the dead to life
you can calm a time of strife
you can still the raging sea
you can seek the lost like me

You can hear a lonely cry
you can quench a soul that’s dry
you can free a captive soul

you can make the broken whole*

^43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose." (John 11 MSG)

1The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign LORD," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that." (Ezek. 37:3 NLT)

I came home several nights ago in a spiritual 'knot.' In my subsequent praying/journaling/working it out, I ended up thinking about how God can resurrect us - spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc. - from many types of death. Two bible stories I've looked at recently speak to that:

In John 11 we hear the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus' friend. In this passage Jesus tells the bystanders to remove the stone from the tomb's entrance and then calls Lazarus out of the grave. And so out walks a "cadaver" wrapped in grave cloths, complete with a "handkerchief" over the face. The Lazarus Jesus loved is alive again!

It may sound strange, but one of my favorite stories is in Ezekiel 37 - the Valley of the Dry Bones. I think that this story speaks to me because when I have been walking through really hard times in life, when I am feeling like I am only bones - or even "dust of bones" - I can hold on to the hope of God's resurrection. When Ezekiel is carried away by the Spirit of the Lord, he sees God resurrect a whole valley worth of people and breathe new life into them!

Notice a few other details about these stories -

- Jesus tells the people to "unwrap him and let him loose"

- the bones were "completely dried out" - there was no flesh on them - and so God miraculously provided the rest of the flesh

- Ezekiel acknowledges God's Sovereignty and Omniscience when he says that only God knows whether the bones can come back to life

I don't know where you are in your spiritual life and relationship with God, but it seems like I'm always needing some sort of resurrection in mine. Perhaps there's a dead place I've been ignoring a long time. Perhaps it's a sin I've finally "coaxed down the stairs"** one at a time and need to put something of value in its place. Perhaps its a relationship.... you get the idea. At any rate, when we see God do a resurrection, of whatever nature or size, we can know we have seen the glory of God.

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)

Sovereign God, we come to you aware of the places in our lives where we need resurrection. Some places that are huge valleys of dry rotted bones, we need your miracles of healing, restoration, and hope. We need you to unwrap us from the things that tie us down, and free us to live the full life you call us to. Help us to trust you for our healing and to believe so that we may see your glory. In Jesus' name we ask, Amen.

* When I was recovering from my spiritual "knot" I mis-remembered the answer Ezekiel gives God as being something about a God who can. From that little phrase - "GOD CAN" - I got the start of a whole song that I'm in the process of writing. (see above) Song (c) 2010 Joella VanOosterhout.

** "A habit cannot be thrown out the window, it must be coaxed down the stairs one step at a time." - Mark Twain

Align, Abide

I recently began my journey through "The Message" version of the Book of John. A few nights ago I was reading the story of Jesus' feeding of the thousands and the subsequent conversation where Jesus names himself the Bread of Life and the people still want more 'proof.' What struck me in this version of the story was the word "align."

Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don't really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me...This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time."

The word "align" has several different definitions that I think can apply to our faith:

1. To arrange in a line or so as to be parallel

2. To adjust (parts of a mechanism, for example) to produce a proper relationship or orientation

3. To ally (oneself, for example) with one side of an argument or cause

1. To adhere to a prescribed course of action.

2. To move or be adjusted into proper relationship or orientation. (thefreedictionary.com)

Are our lives arranged so they are parallel with Christ, so we are in proper relationship and allied to his cause?

Are our spirits adhered to His course of action and are we willing to be moved and adjusted to a proper orientation?

Sometimes those are hard questions to get gut honest with.

"Align" brings me to "abide."

¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15 ESV)

I'm not sure I can add anything more to this. When Jesus uses a word ten times in the same paragraph, I think he wants us to hear it...!

So, we pray....

God of the Universe,

Thank you for being the Bread of Life, the One who promises that when we align with you, we will hunger and thirst no more. Forgive us for the times in which we have seen you in action, but have not quite believed. We come running to you and trust that you will hold on and not let go. We desire to align with you, to enter real life, eternal life. Thank you for putting us on our feet alive and prepared to be whole at the completion of time. God, we want to abide in you, to bear fruit - even to let you prune us for greater fruitfulness. Give us courage to allow you to do that work. We want to abide in your love and to keep your commandments. We want to have the fullness of your joy. By your Spirit, continue to draw us toward your love, joy, and peace and live the abundant life you have called us to. Maranatha, Lord, come soon..... In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Unnamed, not unnoticed

Sometimes when we're going through life it's hard to know whether we are having significant impact upon other peoples' lives. Affirmation may be rare. But God uses many seemingly unnoticed events as he weaves together History ("His-story") for His Glory.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most interesting stories of the Bible don't always name the people in the story? For instance, 2 Kings 5 includes the story of Naaman:

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

2 Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." (NIV)

In the story, Naaman goes to Elisha and is cured of leprosy. Notice that the unnamed Hebrew servant girl (who probably risked her life in speaking up) is the one who suggests an option for healing.

Or consider the story of the man who is one of ten lepers healed by Jesus, but the only one to go back to express thanks:

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17 NIV)

This outcast, both in health and in nationality, is held up as an example of a grateful heart.

Noah's wife's name doesn't get mentioned either. But I think that to be married to a man who is righteous in God's eyes - and then watch that man build a huge boat and prepare for flood while all others mock and laugh at the idea - probably made her a strong help mate and encourager.

1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation." (Gen. 7 NIV)

"Noah's wife" was a part of a family God declared righteous. That is no small honor.

And a little boy is held up as an example of a generous spirit. Jesus tells the disciples to feed a huge crowd, but all they can find is this lad's lunch:

9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6 NIV)

A little boy - unnamed, but not unnoticed - made a huge difference to 5000 hungry people when Jesus used his loaves and fish to feed them.

Ever wonder if what you do makes any difference at all?

Ever realize that you have been blessed by an unsung hero?

Ever realize that you have blessed someone else, perhaps unintentionally, but at least not publicly?

It's good to know that sometimes (often) God uses ordinary, unnamed people - unsung heroes - to bless people and to further the Kingdom.

Thank you, God, for unsung heroes of the faith - people whose stories are told in the Bible and people whose lives have impacted our lives. Thank you for the strong and gentle, quiet and direct heroes in our lives, people who have pointed us or shown us you. Thank you for the gift of your Spirit, by which we can recognize your Kingdom at work. Help us to be willing to be used by you and bless someone else's life. Help us not to be discouraged when we are long times without affirmation. Help us focus on you, to seek first your Kingdom and your righteousness, trusting that all we need will be provided by you, Jehovah Jireh. We pray you would further your Kingdom through the work of us, your children. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

God with us

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" —which means, "God with us."" (Mat. 1:23 NIV)

^1"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NIV)

⁷ "But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD." (Jer. 1 NIV)

³¹" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " (Luke 15 NIV)

¹⁶ Rejoice always; ¹⁷pray without ceasing; ¹⁸in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thes. 5 NIV)

I was listening last night to a sermon by a pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in the Grand Rapids, MI area and was struck and challenged - in a good way - by the overall message of the sermon. It caused [causes] me to reconsider why I do things and why I seek and search for God. Perhaps you have the same tendency I do - to do things for God, or to do things to obey or honor God.

But the pastor's main idea was that what matters most is not what we do for God but that we are with God. Much as Brother Lawrence wrote about being with God, even when peeling potatoes for dinner, or being with God even when up to your ears in baby spit up and diapers, or being with God as you mow or vacuum, or being with God while you clean a closet, or while you drive or while you shop or while you....you get the idea. Are we doing for God or are we being with God?

It's a challenge for me to just be with God, no matter what I'm doing. But maybe this calling is just another example of God showing us his Father-Love, inviting us to crawl up in our Abba Father's lap, and rest under the shelter of his wings.

So today, I invite you to just be with God.

God of Love, we hear your call to us to be with you. Help us to seek first your Kingdom and righteousness and to set aside any striving that hinders us from being with you. Forgive us when we forget to pray unceasingly and to recognize your presence in every moment. Help us to not fear you, but to trust you. Help us to desire to be with you. And then wrap your arms of love around us as we recognize the joy of being with you. Through Christ we pray, amen.

http://marshill.org/teaching/2010/06/20/tortured-by-books/