Dry Grass and Dry Bones

Dry Grass and Dry Bones
“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry.” -Ezekiel 37:1-2

 It’s been hot and dry this summer in Daphne. In fact, I don’t remember the last time it rained. All the plants and grass around town are turning a crispy brown. When I walk through my yard, the grass crunches under my feet. But when I pull out the sprinkler, something amazing happens. Almost overnight, the grass turns a vibrant green. It regains its soft texture. It no longer crunches under my feet. Why? Because it got the nourishment it needed so badly.

In Ezekiel 37, God takes the prophet Ezekiel and places him in the midst of a valley of dry bones. Ezekiel remarks that the bones aren’t just dry, they’re “very dry.” They’re crunchy like my grass. In spite of their dead crunchiness, God asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And by God’s power, the bones do come alive. God breathes his Spirit into them, and those dry crunchy bones become a mighty army. Like my grass, they spring back to life when they receive the nourishment that they need.

If you’re like me, when the environmental conditions of your life become harsh – when stress creeps in, when the bills pile up, when you’re exhausted and worn out – you stop taking in the spiritual nourishment that your soul so badly needs. You stop reading Scripture, you stop praying, you stop fellowshipping with the saints. And when you do, your soul starts to get crunchy and dry. The symptoms of that dryness vary from person to person, but you know them when you see them.

If you find yourself in that place today, turn the sprinkler on. Sit down and open up your Bible - even if it’s only for a few minutes. Utter a short prayer – even if you don’t know what to say. Come to church – even if you aren’t dressed right and you don’t know anyone. God was able to restore those dry bones to life – he can nourish your dry soul.

Your Pastor and Friend,
John Knox Foster