Let's face it, Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones in Chapter 37 is downright spooky. Placed by God in a virtual sea of human skeletal remains, Ezekiel witnesses a gory reconstruction of bones, tendons, flesh, and skin in response to his prophesying, complete with "bone rattling" sound effects. And then the bodies all lay there, not breathing, which strikes me as even creepier than when they were just dry bones. But God, the Grave Robber (credit to Pastor Derek Baker for that one), is not finished. At his command, breath of life blows in from the four winds and brings this vast army to its feet, brimming with vitality.
Such was his dramatically stated promise to Israel and to us, his church. Living our lives apart from God, we are as good as dead. But as we put our trust in him, God the Holy Spirit breathes life into us, filling us with a power that decisively triumphs over the deadly effects of sin. Even as we agonize over that destructive habit that drags us down, that grudge that fills us with unrighteous anger, those words that we wish we hadn't said, and the constant reminders of sin and death all around us, we are nonetheless comforted and strengthened deep down by his presence.
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