Speak Life

      A few nights ago, while unable to sleep, I reached for my Bible and opened to Ezekiel 36.  God is speaking to Ezekiel concerning Israel.  He speaks of gathering Israel from among the nations and bringing them back to their land.  Verses 25 - 27 caught my attention:

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."

      Although God is speaking to the Israelites, He does the same for those of us who have been "grafted in" to the Vine.  When I came to Christ, it didn't matter how "good" I was on my own.  My goodness alone would never be enough. So through the blood of Jesus I was cleansed and given a new heart.  Now, by His Spirit I can walk "in a manner worthy of the calling". 

       The next chapter really caught my attention.  I love Ezekiel 37 when God tells Ezekiel to "prophesy over these bones..."  This is such  powerful picture of God taking what is dead and dry and resurrecting it to life.  And, He used a person, Ezekiel,  to call the bones to life, to speak out what "was not as though it were."  That's what true faith is.  Anyone can look out and say, "It's dead here." and move on, but what about speaking out and believing for what could be. 

       I wrestle with that often in my own life.  There are circumstances in which I find myself looking around and thinking,  "Wow, it's dead here."  Then I hear the gentle voice of God, asking, "Daughter, can these bones live?"  Having seen my Father at work through the years, of course my answer is, "Oh Lord God, You know."  I do not doubt my Father.  I doubt me.  I doubt because, like the Israelites in chapter 36, my heart becomes hardened.  The cares of this life, with all it's disappointments, can make me shut down.  God by His Spirit reaches down and performs heart surgery.  He takes out my heart of stone and causes my heart to beat anew.  He opens my eyes to see what could be and not merely what is now. 

      I know there are a few areas in my life that I need to look at with fresh eyes.  I need to speak over those dry bones and tell them to live.  What about you?  Are there areas in your life that need the breath of God?  Speak life!