Breathe

Ezekiel 37:1-6 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

The holidays are over and the resolutions have been made for a year that is only 4 days old. The festive spirit of Christmas for many is being placed into boxes only to wait another year to get excited about this common life that we share. Often January is a month of reflection, a month of planning, and a month of returning to the normal. We have almost created an emotional valley in January that is waiting to be wooed by romance in February, set free on the plateau of Independence Day in July and culminating on a mountain top experience of the Christmas celebration in December. It is great to have these incredible reminders each year, but do our emotions and lives have to be like a roller coaster. Can we handle the quiet winter months in silence and grace?

As highly stimulated people, we love the noise and commotion of the holidays, but we can find it hard to live with ourselves when no one else is around. Can we handle living with ourselves? You may be glad that the in-laws and parents are gone back home, so you can get peace and quiet for a change. It’s easy to get lost in a crowd of people, drown yourself in empty conversation, and waste time in busyness. Much of what we do and are is empty. The spiritual, emotional and physical tank of energy runs dry, and we stop moving towards a life of greater compassion and conviction. This leads to a comparison game with other Christians and even those still lost in sin. We love to compare ourselves with others to see how spiritually advanced we might be. When in reality, the standard for all mankind is not each other, but Jesus Christ—Himself.

Now, you may be asking, “How can we be filled, overflowing and stay that way the whole year through?” It first comes with a true estimation of who we are. Have you forgotten that God meets us “just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” When Isaiah saw himself in view of God’s holiness, he exclaimed, “Woe is me! For I am undone and I dwell among a sinful people.” When John the Revelator saw Jesus in His glory, He fell down as dead, but Jesus laid his right hand upon him and said “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:17-18) When you and I begin to walk in His presence, we, too, will see the deadened areas of our lives that have been calloused by disobedience and dulled through lack of wanting to hear brought to new life. In His presence, He is able to speak life into us!

As Ezekiel was brought to the valley of dry bones, we, likewise, must see the reality of our lives outside of the life of Christ and be willing to change. Any part of our lives that are not connected to Christ and being operated in the flesh is dead. Without Him we can do nothing! What skeletons are lurking in the closet of 2006? God wants to bring life to all areas of your life this year! Can you hear the dry bones rattling as God begins to take them from the valley’s vision and begin to put flesh on them? This portion of scripture refers to God restoration of Israel, but he also wants to bring you to a place of restoration and wholeness.

Being a born again Christian does not eliminate you from the pains and trials of life. It can be hard and difficult at times, but Jesus Christ wants to be your source of life, strength and stability. As you notice in the scriptures, when they heard the Word of God, fresh breath entered into the bones, caused them to live and to know who gave them life—The LORD! Don’t allow the time, seasons or holidays dictate the joy in your heart. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever more. I encourage you to read through the Bible this year and apply what you read. A Bible that is torn apart often belongs to someone who isn’t!