The Churches of the Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:11-14

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

O Lord,
it was Israel's cry
in Ezekiel's day;
it seems to be the church's cry
in my day:

"Our bones are dried up,
and our hope is lost;
we are cut off completely."

Today the cry sounds like:

"How can we get young families
in our church again?"

"Who will take over these ministries
we've worked so hard to develop?"

"Why don't people come to Sunday school
or worship like they used to?"

"Why are sporting events allowed
to be scheduled on Sunday mornings?!"

The words are different;
the message is the same:

"Our bones are dried up,
and our hope is lost;
we are cut off completely."

Lord,
speak again your voice!
Send us a powerful vision
like you did for Ezekiel.
Help us hear the Word of the Lord:

"I will put my spirit within you,
and you shall live,
and I will place you on your own soil;
then you shall know that I,
the Lord, have spoken and will act."

Your Spirit alone can give us new life!
We knew it once.
Send that Spirit upon us again.
Amen.