Lectionary Readings:
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14;
John 11: 1 – 45
“A Breath of Hope”
This week we have two very dramatic stories from the Scriptures. We have Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones and the story of the death and raising of Lazarus.
As I begin my ponderings on this passage I am reminded of John 12: 24, “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” With the bones being “very dry” before being given life, and Lazarus dieing before being raised from the dead, I wonder where the idea of having to be like the grain of wheat and dieing first to be raised. While in Lazarus case it was a very real, physical death, we could ask ourselves what it means in a spiritual sense. Sometimes religious thoughts of “dieing to self” have been used to promote a poor self-image, or to allow others to dominate or run rough shod over us. I do not believe this is what is being called for. I do believe we can ponder this week what it means to come to a point in our lives where God can truly raise us up and give us life.
- What are ways you have experienced resurrection in your life?
- What would it mean for you to have God raise you up today from some of the dry areas of your life?
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