Dry Bones

The incessant grumbling of a bear’s stomach upon waking from hibernation is akin to my stomach’s need for food while I was pregnant. When hunger struck, there may or may not have been occasions when tears were involved if a waiting period was necessary before receiving nourishment. 

In one memorable moment, I all but inhaled the chips and queso at one of our favorite restaurants. My husband, gingerly and with caution, told me that I didn’t need to worry… no one was going to take the chips away from me. I must have looked crazed as I shoveled those crispy triangles dipped in golden queso deliciousness straight into my mouth like a skilled assembly line worker. 

We feel our need for physical hunger quite poignantly. It appears symptomatically with a growling stomach or sinking spell alerting us to fill the basic need of hunger.

What about spiritual hunger? 

In Ezekiel 37, the hand of the Lord brought Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones. A vast wasteland of death. Void of hope. He prophesied as the Lord commanded and there was a rattling sound, clanging of bone against bone, as the bones came together. Tendons and flesh stretched out over the bones, but no breath was within them. (Ezekiel 37:7-8). 

A valley of dry bones put back together like puzzle pieces but still void of life. 

 “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” Ezekiel 37:10

The Hebrew translation for breath in this context can also mean wind or spirit. Ruach. The dry bones could not exist without the spirit breath of Heaven blowing life into their bodies. And then they stood as a vast army.
 
Today, multiple culprits of society vie for our heart’s attention potentially leaving us as the dry bones- void of the breath of sustaining life. Are we seeking that Spirit breath to draft through the crannies of our hearts that have become resistant to the warning signs of spiritual hunger like dry bones?

The bread of the world only leads to temporal satisfaction. But in John 6:35 we receive a promise of hope, “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.””

In Him, our dry bones flourish with Spirit breath, and we stand fulfilled. 

May we be alert and watchful. Cunning and luring are the enemy’s tactics to derail us from the fullness of our relationship with Christ. May we be able to see things as they really are, and call upon the Bread of Life to sustain us. 

Scripture Meditation: Matthew 6:9-13

Prayer Prompt: Are there any areas in your life in need of Spirit breath? Ask the Father to breathe over those areas of your life today.