Lent Self Study
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 4: A Big Question
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 4: A Big Question
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Valley of Dry Bones
“God’s power overcame me, and while I was in the Lord’s spirit, I was led out and set down in the middle of a certain valley. It was full of bones. I was led through them and all around, and I saw that there were a great many of them on the valley floor, and they were very dry. God asked me, “Human one, can these bones live again?” I said, “Yahweh God, only you know.”
God said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, Dry bones, hear my word! God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again. I will put sinews on you, place flesh on you, and cover you with skin. When I put breath in you, and you come to life, you will know that I am God.”
I prophesied just as I was commanded. There was a great noise as I was prophesying, then a great quaking, and the bones came together, bone by bone. When I looked, suddenly there were sinews on them. The flesh appeared, and then they were covered over with skin. But there was still no breath in them.
God said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, human one! Say to the breath, God proclaims: Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live.” I prophesied just as he commanded me. When the breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet, an extraordinarily large company.
Then God said to me, “Human one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ So now, prophesy and say to them, Yahweh God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. You will know that I am God, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I have spoken, and I will do it. This is what God says.”
The Valley of Dry Bones
“God’s power overcame me, and while I was in the Lord’s spirit, I was led out and set down in the middle of a certain valley. It was full of bones. I was led through them and all around, and I saw that there were a great many of them on the valley floor, and they were very dry. God asked me, “Human one, can these bones live again?” I said, “Yahweh God, only you know.”
God said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, Dry bones, hear my word! God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again. I will put sinews on you, place flesh on you, and cover you with skin. When I put breath in you, and you come to life, you will know that I am God.”
I prophesied just as I was commanded. There was a great noise as I was prophesying, then a great quaking, and the bones came together, bone by bone. When I looked, suddenly there were sinews on them. The flesh appeared, and then they were covered over with skin. But there was still no breath in them.
God said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, human one! Say to the breath, God proclaims: Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live.” I prophesied just as he commanded me. When the breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet, an extraordinarily large company.
Then God said to me, “Human one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ So now, prophesy and say to them, Yahweh God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. You will know that I am God, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I have spoken, and I will do it. This is what God says.”
There’s a little song that goes, “always look on the bright side of life”. What has been your little ditty that got you through hard times? We all have songs, or phrases or mottos that we carry with us in our pockets, ready to fling at bad news or difficult times. “Smile when your heart is breaking”, “Chin up”, “Keep calm and carry on”, “The sun will come out tomorrow”, - these are some of the popular ones.
But what about when we’re facing a valley of dry bones? What song can we conjure up that will take us through the awful horror of it? What if our whole life feels as dry as that valley and we’re clattering about, lifeless, hopeless, dreamless? There is no song except one of mourning.
An optimist might say, “cheer up, things will get better” and then waits for it to get better. Hope, on the other hand, sees all the hopeless, lifeless, pointless things in our lives and in our world and then tells the truth about it without flinching. Hope will admit: Yes, we’re in a mess.
Question: What is making you feel pretty hopeless right now?
Question: Is your “go to” cheer up phrase or song working for you?
God asks Ezekiel a difficult question. “Human one, can these bones live?” Would we crumble at the question if God asked it of us? Would sink into greater despair as we consider the answer that is so inevitable? Would we hang our head, despite what we would love to believe and have to confess, “no. It's too late for these bones. These dry, tired bones”. But Ezekiel answers, "Oh God, only you know".
When you survey the dry bones of your dreams, your intentions and high hopes, ask the question out aloud: “Can these bones live?” Wait for the answer. Keep asking the question. Keep waiting for the answer. It will come.
We have to be willing, open to the life-giving breath of God to give us life once more. And that’s not always easy to do. Sometimes we just want to be left alone. To stew. To sulk. To be miserable. To feel abandoned or disappointed. Why rattle me and reconnect me and make me into something again, - something that could hurt and die once again?
Question: Are you really willing to open yourself up to the possibility that the dry bones of your dreams or life may actually be resurrected?
And so, God’s wind blew and the bones rattled and came together. But notice that they were not alive even when reassembled and covered in flesh. We can look alive, we can give the appearance that we are vital, that things are working. We know how to smile even when our heart is breaking and we have no idea how we’re going to take the next step or even what the next step will be. The dry bones are only alive when the ruach, the breath of life, the Spirit that first moved over the waters of creation, is blown into them.
Can these bones live? We are asked! O God, only you know, only you know if our tired old bones can be resurrected to new life, but please,
let it be so.
But what about when we’re facing a valley of dry bones? What song can we conjure up that will take us through the awful horror of it? What if our whole life feels as dry as that valley and we’re clattering about, lifeless, hopeless, dreamless? There is no song except one of mourning.
An optimist might say, “cheer up, things will get better” and then waits for it to get better. Hope, on the other hand, sees all the hopeless, lifeless, pointless things in our lives and in our world and then tells the truth about it without flinching. Hope will admit: Yes, we’re in a mess.
Question: What is making you feel pretty hopeless right now?
Question: Is your “go to” cheer up phrase or song working for you?
God asks Ezekiel a difficult question. “Human one, can these bones live?” Would we crumble at the question if God asked it of us? Would sink into greater despair as we consider the answer that is so inevitable? Would we hang our head, despite what we would love to believe and have to confess, “no. It's too late for these bones. These dry, tired bones”. But Ezekiel answers, "Oh God, only you know".
When you survey the dry bones of your dreams, your intentions and high hopes, ask the question out aloud: “Can these bones live?” Wait for the answer. Keep asking the question. Keep waiting for the answer. It will come.
We have to be willing, open to the life-giving breath of God to give us life once more. And that’s not always easy to do. Sometimes we just want to be left alone. To stew. To sulk. To be miserable. To feel abandoned or disappointed. Why rattle me and reconnect me and make me into something again, - something that could hurt and die once again?
Question: Are you really willing to open yourself up to the possibility that the dry bones of your dreams or life may actually be resurrected?
And so, God’s wind blew and the bones rattled and came together. But notice that they were not alive even when reassembled and covered in flesh. We can look alive, we can give the appearance that we are vital, that things are working. We know how to smile even when our heart is breaking and we have no idea how we’re going to take the next step or even what the next step will be. The dry bones are only alive when the ruach, the breath of life, the Spirit that first moved over the waters of creation, is blown into them.
Can these bones live? We are asked! O God, only you know, only you know if our tired old bones can be resurrected to new life, but please,
let it be so.
Where the Breath Begins
Dry
and dry
and dry
in each direction.
Dust dry.
Desert dry.
Bone dry.
And here
in your own heart:
dry,
the center of your chest
a bare valley
stretching out
every way you turn.
Did you think
this was where
you had come to die?
It’s true that
you may need
to do some crumbling,
yes.
That some things
you have protected
may want to be
laid bare,
yes.
That you will be asked
to let go
and let go,
yes.
But listen.
This is what
a desert is for.
If you have come here
desolate,
if you have come here
deflated,
then thank your lucky stars
the desert is where
you have landed--
here where it is hard
to hide,
here where it is unwise
to rely on your own devices,
here where you will
have to look
and look again
and look close
to find what refreshment waits
to reveal itself to you.
I tell you,
though it may be hard
to see it now,
this is where
your greatest blessing
will find you.
I tell you,
this is where
you will receive
your life again.
I tell you,
this is where
the breath begins.
Jan Richardson
Dry
and dry
and dry
in each direction.
Dust dry.
Desert dry.
Bone dry.
And here
in your own heart:
dry,
the center of your chest
a bare valley
stretching out
every way you turn.
Did you think
this was where
you had come to die?
It’s true that
you may need
to do some crumbling,
yes.
That some things
you have protected
may want to be
laid bare,
yes.
That you will be asked
to let go
and let go,
yes.
But listen.
This is what
a desert is for.
If you have come here
desolate,
if you have come here
deflated,
then thank your lucky stars
the desert is where
you have landed--
here where it is hard
to hide,
here where it is unwise
to rely on your own devices,
here where you will
have to look
and look again
and look close
to find what refreshment waits
to reveal itself to you.
I tell you,
though it may be hard
to see it now,
this is where
your greatest blessing
will find you.
I tell you,
this is where
you will receive
your life again.
I tell you,
this is where
the breath begins.
Jan Richardson
Take us by the hand and lead us,
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
Copyright 2020 Suzanna Bates