NOW HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD...

"Put together dem bones,

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.

Now hear the word of the Lord.

Let's connect dem bones, dem dry bones.
Let's connect dem bones, dem dry bones.
Let's connect dem bones, dem dry bones.
Now hear the word of the Lord..."
(James Weldon Johnson 1871 - 1938)

The African American poet, James Weldon Johnson, wrote these words above to describe the occurrence from our lectionary script for this Sunday, April 10 found in Ezekiel chapter 37.

Traditionally, the scenario described in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel was describing the sustained concern of God for Israel during their exile in Babylon and to impart hope for their future.

What sustains us? What makes us dance? What gives us life? What makes our spirits thrive?
In the passages below, Ezekiel is told by God to prophesy to the bones, "O hear the word of the Lord." God then promises to breathe into these skeletons and "you shall live." In another poem by James Weldon Johnson, "The Creation," he ends in the last stanza with God breathing the breath of life into Adam and "man became a living soul. Amen." Pneumos is the Greek word for both wind/breath and spirit.

What is it that gives you life? What sustains you? Do you have hope for the future?

Ezekiel 37:1-14
37:1 The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

37:2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.

37:3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know."

37:4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

37:5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

37:6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."

37:7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

37:8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.

37:9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."

37:10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

37:11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.'

37:12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

37:13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.

37:14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD.

Walter Morton for Journey Across the Line