As I consider the texts for this week the theme of death and resurrection is obvious. The valley of dry bones (how many churches fit that description?), Paul’s reflections on life in the spirit and the power of the spirit to re-animate what is dead, and of course, the story of Lazarus rising from the tomb.
Several observations on these scriptures:
- It is the breath or spirit of God which brings the bones to life in Ezekiel.
- It is the spirit of God which gives life to our mortal bodies.
- It is the voice (breath, spirit) of Christ which calls Lazarus forth from the grave.
My questions:
- If a church or group of people is dying, how can we invoke the spirit of God to bring new life?
- Is it necessary for the people or church to want new life? (at least according to Ezekiel and John the answer appears to be no, but what about now?)
A Far Country 