How Are Your Bones?

I like to write about the Lectionary passages, and it was a tough choice this week between Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead with its gritty details of the “stench” in the tomb of rotting flesh, or the valley of dry bones that are brought back together into skeletons and covered in sinew. It’s no wonder these stories are put together with their theme of what God can do in the face of death and decomposition, and situations of seemingly no hope.

It struck me, reading Ezekiel 37:1-14 this time, that God does not merely tell Ezekiel what is going to happen. God doesn’t tell the bones to pull themselves together, so to speak, and have Ezekiel watch. God tells Ezekiel to prophesy, to speak with command and clarity of what God is telling them to do. God literally gives Ezekiel the words to say for him to at least indirectly make this miracle happen. God’s breath comes into the bones and they are brought back to life, raised as God’s people, to be returned to the land God has prepared for them.

In the past seven weeks, I have led and attended worship in five different places. Each were remarkably different from each other and yet holding many things in common. As I observed what was going on, I wondered about the health of the children’s and youth ministry in each, both behind the scenes and below the surface of how many kids were there at kids’ time to bring joy to the adults. As I reflected on the valley of dry bones, I reflected too on what this passage has to say to those of us in educational ministry.

Who are the ones in our graveyards?
There are the faithful who have gone on to eternal rest from past generations, but I also wonder about those who are still very much alive but dead in spirit. I am one of two of the 40 or so who went through Sunday school in my generation who are still active in my home church. In smaller cities, many move away for school, jobs, and big city life, perhaps escaping an earlier identity that haunts them. For those who have left, what have we done to maintain any kind of connection with them at all, particularly students at school? If they are still in the area and aren’t worshiping with us, do we know why? If they aren’t worshiping at all, do we know why? What happened to deaden Christ within them, or at least deaden their sense that the faith community is important to their souls? Do we bother to identify and follow up on the living in our own graveyards, or do we blame people for leaving because of lack of commitment, expecting them to return someday on their own?

What shape are your bones in?
A VBS song I love is the Milk Song. It talks about drinking milk and eating the Word to get strong. So many churches and education programs are struggling. Sunday schools in many places are on life support. How weary and weak are our own bones? How are we coming before God and seeking replenishing in these challenging times? Even if things are going fantastically well, we still need to strengthen our spiritual bones and put meat on them. How taut are your muscles? Are they atrophied from lack of spiritual exercise and doing the same routine over and over? Is your resistance training strictly running into roadblocks of others who refuse to admit to the changes around them? When is the last time you’ve sensed God’s Spirit breathing through you? If vitality is an issue, acknowledge it. Sound the alarm when your programs are fading and the strength and muscle needed is disappearing. Bring your realities and struggles to God, willing to do what is needed to rebuild the body and to take on a steady diet of spiritual milk.

What are we called to prophesy?
Church leaders still have a prophetic role, and at very least the responsibility to share God’s Word. When we seem to need to cut back more and more and run with a skeletal staff and bare bones mentality, it can be hard to grasp a greater vision and promise of God. And yet, in utter desolation, for Ezekiel the message was that resurrection was possible, that the dead and dried up could become flesh again, and that God has a place, a soil, for them to stand on. The Spirit would again be within the people. So how do we prophesy? We listen, and we ask for a clear message. We look at what is around us and ask for God’s vision as to the possibilities. We ask for a greater sensitivity to bringing life where there is now decay. We ask for boldness in belief and action to bring about God’s plans. We remind ourselves and others that God doesn’t bail on promises and that we are given purpose and inspiration from God’s Spirit. Then we wait to see what the bodies we have been gifted with do with that Spirit.

My prayer is that where you feel surrounded by tumbleweeds of glory days past in the valley, that you will instead be raised up by God speaking clearly to you, renewing and refreshing you as you continue to build up the body of Christ. Where you feel overwhelmed by the needs and growth around you, may God draw you to drink deeply and to find others alive in the Spirit to offer support and share the load. Where you feel out of energy and ideas, may God breathe new inspiration and lead you to resources which will feed and nourish you and your leaders and learners.

May new life abound through you by God’s grace!