Observe the image for a moment. What do you see?
At first glance, it may look like a dead leaf on a hummingbird feeder. At least, that is what I thought it was when my husband Kevin called it to my attention. I took a closer look and realized that “whatever that was” was alive. I went for my camera and took this photo. It’s a moth, a Blinded Sphinx Moth.
As I reflected on the moth and how it was hanging from the feeder, seemingly dead, it reminded me of the story of Ezequiel and the dry bones found in chapter 37 (NRSV).
“The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.”
In this passage, Ezequiel does something that brings hope and signs of life. Ezequiel obeys and follows God’s lead by first admitting that only God knows if those bones could ever come to life. God knows. God’s knowledge and wisdom can and will transform the circumstances we live in and the consequences of our actions by breathing life, once again, into our dry bones and our dry souls.
In what circumstances have you experienced a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and lifelessness?
Today is a good day to exercise your faith, increase your trust in God, and breathe. You got this because God’s got you!
In Christ,
Pastor Iraida