“So I prophesied as I was commanded—and as I prophesied, there was a noise and, behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came upon them and the skin covered them above—but there was no breath in them. Then said He unto me, ‘Prophesy unto the wind; prophesy, Son of Man, and say to the wind, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as He commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.”
Ezekiel 37:7-10
Our part is yielding; His part is doing. “Laborers together with God.” That’s how the Apostle Paul described our relationship with the Lord in His Kingdom work (I Cor. 2:9). And, as he pointed out, how important to remember that He’s the One Who “gives the increase” (v.7), not us. Or, another way to say it is “The results are up to Him.”
Although Paul’s imagery of seed-sowing, water, cultivating, fertilizing and harvesting are familiar to us (vv.6-8), today’s Manna is more difficult for us to fathom—for none of us have ever stood in a “valley of very dry bones” (Ez. 37:2) and told to prophesy to them and the wind.
In fact, our natural mind of Reason says “Impossible!” or “Absurd!” (I Cor. 2:14). But, the Spirit says “Do it anyway.” The difference is our “bones” may be a loved one who’s been impossible to talk to about Christ for many, many years. Or, that co-worker who’s mocked us or laughed at us because of what we believe. Or, even our own church that’s content with doing “business as usual,” causing us to feel like “a voice crying in the wilderness” (Mt. 3:3).
Regardless, be faithful, Pilgrim, and continue doing and saying what the Lord’s told you.
Remember: “Nothing’s impossible with Him!” (Lk. 1:37; Gen. 18:14).
Nothing!!
Ezekiel had already confessed that only the Lord Himself knew if “those bones could live again” (v.3). He knew he didn’t have the ability to make dry, dead bones come to life. Even if they’d still had living marrow in them, no amount of “mouth-to-bone” resuscitation could have brought them back to life again.
Only the God of the Resurrection can do that.
And, He has purposely given to us “the sentence of death that we should not trust in ourselves, but in Him Who raises the dead” (II Cor. 1:9). Hallelujah!!
Therefore, if you’ve grown “weary in well-doing” (Gal. 6:9), could it be it’s because you’ve been trusting more in yourself than in Him Who raised Jesus from the dead? Others are not changed by our persuasion or eloquent words; they’re changed by God’s Resurrection Power (I Cor. 1:17-2:2). That way “their faith will not be based upon our wisdom or words, but upon His Power” (I Cor. 2:5; II Cor. 4:7) and they’ll be His convert, not ours. Today’s the “Day of Miracles,” Pilgrim. Go forth in His Spirit and watch Him work.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated February 5, 2010
