Dry Bones and Redemption

 Walking through a valley filled with death. Not fresh, rotting stenchy death, but old decayed death. Surrounded by bones so dry and so depleted of life that there is no hope. Nothing to cling to... No hope left... That was my life at the age of 15 and I didn't even know it.

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

I was a believer in Jesus from a very young age. I went to church, bible in hand each week with my grandparents. I knew lots of bible stories and even memorized verses. I was seeking... However, at the same time I was seeking to live for Christ, I was seeking the things of this world. I was searching for someone to love me. As an insecure teenage girl, I was desiring for some guy to fill the hole in my heart. That hole that said, “you will never measure up” and “you’re not good enough...no one will ever love you”. I was loved by my momma and my grandparents, but that is not what I was searching for. I wanted that ‘dream come true romance’ that I saw portrayed everywhere in the world...except in my life!

As a ‘Christian teenager’ I had signed the ‘True Love Waits’ commitment card. I knew some things were for marriage only, but... the life I was seeking did not wait. The searching for love said, “Those standards aren’t important. Everyone else is doing it”. I was young, desperately in love with my best friend, scared no one would ever really love me, and making foolish decisions. I was not a young lady grounded in good character. And so, I compromised... Shortly after I found myself expecting a baby. That baby and my best friend changed the course of my life. David assured me that he did love ME! He wanted to raise this baby with me, even though there was no confirmation who the child’s father would be. He stepped into the role of protector, provider, and forever partner. He showered me with that unconditional love my heart so craved. We were so young, just 15 and 17, yet our hearts strived to have a lasting marriage and be good parents. We made so many mistakes along the way that we do not deny, yet GOD DID NOT LEAVE US WITH DRY BONES.

Ezekiel 37: 4-14

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

Just as the people of Israel had no hope left. As they had been slain and their bones were now dry, so was I. BUT GOD! He breathed his word into my life. He placed mentors, teachers, and friends in my path that were willing to point me in the right direction. God used a tiny baby, a willing young man, a searching young woman, and his word to draw me to him. That baby saved my life! For many years I lived in shame of my decisions. I tried to keep it hidden and make it look good. But that is not God’s way. His way is honesty. His way is freedom from shame.

Proverbs 8:13 “If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy.”

Let me be clear here. The consequences of my sin were not shameful. The baby has always been the sweet blessing despite my actions. The sin itself, the separation from God and his will, was what filled me with shame. I had to remedy that by confession.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

I know without a doubt that God has forgiven me because I have asked.

I know he has purified my heart and regenerated it.

I know my testimony will call to some of you, while others it will repel.

Some will understand God’s forgiveness maybe for the first time.

A select few will cast judgement.

That is ok, I have long cast judgement on myself.

However, when I stand imperfectly before the only JUDGE, Jesus blood will have blotted out my iniquities. He has paid the price for me. I am forgiven in heaven.