Do We Live As Dry Bones?

Yesterday I suggested John’s Gospel, in reference to the Spirit’s presence within ourselves.  This morning what came to my mind was John 15.  I remember reading this chapter, sometime during my seminary years; after being trained to read scripture with a exegetical mind.  The epiphany, I connected with that day, has constantly given me the confidence to live my call through thick and thin.

“God’s Spirit actually lives in me!”

Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.(vs. 4)

It was one of those light-bulb-moments!  It made such sense to me!  The vine moves life and fruit and possibility into the branch.  Into you and me!

What just popped into my head is the story of the Valley of Dry Bones.  Where the Prophet Ezekiel was put right in the middle of a bunch of dead bones to prophesy to such death. 

….and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Read more of the story below!

The analogy of dry dead bones is what God must have been observing about the Hebrew people.  A people with no hope, no joy — no living Spirit.  A people whose fruit had gone bad!

When we are connected to the life giving vine, God’s Spirit, we don’t live dead.  That is, we don’t simply exist as we move through our days.  

As Lutherans we believe that at our Baptism God breaths His Spirit into us.  That is the gift of Baptism.  And as we grow and learn about Jesus/God, that Spirit is our instructor/advocate in the growth of our faith. It moves in and out of our thoughts, and doubts, and wonders, about this marvelous story called the Bible.  The Spirit — the Vine — keeps us connected to our source of life.  True and abundant life! 

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.(John 10:10)

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.(Ezekiel 37)