The Year of “Re” Resurrect: Can These Bones Live? Part Three: The Weight of Friday “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3 Can these bones live? For the last few weeks, we have been asking the question that God presented to Ezekiel. During that time, the children of Israel were feeling their worst. They were feeling hopeless and lost. Even though they had a promise given to them through Abraham, they still felt defeated. Sometimes in our lives, we feel that as well. God has sent us on a new mission or given us a new assignment. Maybe we started a new business, started a family, entered into a new relationship or marriage, or any of those things, and yet things do not seem right. So we ask: Can these bones live? In the beginning, we have those who cheer for us. People are there. Support is present. It feels like everything we need is in place. Then something suddenly changes, and the weight of it all becomes heavy. It begins to weigh on us. It feels as though friends have deserted us, and no one is there to help us. In that place, we find ourselves asking God, “Can this cup be removed?” We looked at how Jesus Christ also faced that moment in the Garden of Gethsemane as He went to fulfill His purpose by dying on the cross for the sins of the world. Even Jesus had those who loved Him, who cheered for Him, and then turned and ran from Him and deserted Him. He asked if this cup could pass. In other words, I do not want to do this. Can we come up with something else? This hurts. This is hard. This is difficult. However, Jesus came to His nevertheless. And to keep going in the face of dry bones, we too must come to our "nevertheless". So we find ourselves on Friday, the day He was crucified, where He was whipped and beaten. Sometimes we feel as though life is whipping us. The storms of life are beating against us, and sometimes we feel like we cannot go on. Yet Jesus took the cross, His assignment, and carried it. Although He was tired, sore, beaten, hurting, and in pain, not just physically but in His soul, He still went on that long road, the Via Dolorosa, to fulfill what God had placed within Him. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2 that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross.

The Year of “Re” Resurrect: Can These Bones Live? Part Two: The Crowd, The Calling & The Cost “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3 How exciting is it when God deposits within us a passionate desire for a ministry or a calling so great it is beyond our own comprehension? It can be a new relationship, starting a family, a business, a ministry, an educational pursuit, an investment, or the like. Whatever it is, we know that God Himself has placed that thing on the inside of us. We pray, we ponder, then we submit to lay hold of what He has promised. We get the courage to tell our friends and loved ones. We begin the process of carrying out this great work. We move step by step as He leads. We continue to serve God and others as we walk toward the manifestation of this ultimate calling. Everyone is offering their assistance. Whatever the promise entails, everything appears to be right on schedule. Then suddenly, calamity shows up at the door. Not only does it come, it brings betrayal, rejection, doubt, lack, agony, and fear. The friends disperse. The praise turns to jeers. We cannot even get anyone to pray for us, let alone with us. We begin to ask ourselves the question: Is it even worth it? Maybe I heard God wrong. Should I just let it all go? Can These Bones Live? We cry out to God for this despair to pass. We want to walk away from the dream and, at times, from life itself. But that thing God has placed in us is still pushing to come forth. We become exhausted physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Still, we muster a nevertheless and press on. We keep going while carrying doubt and hopelessness. We perform what seem to be obedient actions, but faith is lacking. We are going through the motions. This big, beautiful dream now lacks muscle and skin. It is only bones. Can These Bones Live? What we have just read sounds familiar, doesn’t it? This is the same journey Jesus took during what we call Passion Week. There was a moment when the crowd welcomed Him with praise. Voices were lifted. Expectations were high. It appeared that everything was aligning with what had been promised. Yet, in a matter of days, the same voices shifted. Praise gave way to rejection. Support turned into silence. What once looked like promise began to feel uncertain. He experienced betrayal. He stood in the tension of what was before Him. The weight of what He carried was not light. There is a cost to the calling.

The Year of “Re” Resurrect: Can These Bones Live? “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel 37:3 By definition, the word resurrect means to bring back to life. It is a verb, which denotes action. Oftentimes, when we hear the verb, we automatically think of the noun resurrection. When explicitly stated in scripture, resurrection is the result of bringing someone back from the dead. However, as we see in Ezekiel 37, resurrection refers to more than just physical life. It can also be applied to our feelings of hopelessness and to the dry areas of our lives. After the death of Lazarus, Jesus said to Martha, “I AM the resurrection…believeth thou this?” (John 11:25-26) Are you ready to let the I AM, that I AM, breathe life back into you? Are you ready to be reignited in the promises of God? What needs to be resurrected in your life? Is it your faith and trust in God? Is it your hope for the future? Is it a dream or a desire that you have been waiting for, but it seems to be on pause? Is it that fractured relationship? Your confidence? Your self-esteem? Where is life seeping out of you? Can these bones live? In the next few weeks, we will walk through our God-given hopes and desires, what feels like their death, God’s perceived silence, and ultimately, their resurrection. We will begin to recognize the places where we have placed a period, but God has written a comma. Looking Forward: Resurrect Week One: Introduction: Can These Bones Live? Week Two: The Crowd, the Calling, and the Cost Week Three: The Weight of Friday Week Four: The Silence of Saturday Week Five: Get Up and Go Tell

Rejoice Leap for JOY! “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 Over the past few weeks, we have been reminded that God has placed His Spirit on the inside of us. By His Spirit, we can follow the admonition of Paul to rejoice in the Lord always, and again and again to rejoice. It is the joy of the Lord that gives us the will to continue in the face of the cares and challenges of this world. JOY, the never-fleeting heavenly deposit. JOY, the gift that does not have to be pursued but resides within every believer. This joy springs forth freely when we allow our minds to break through the thoughts and ideologies that clog our spouts. This joy is never-ending, always flowing, and springs forth through the well of worship. In Jewish culture, rejoicing was often expressed outwardly, not kept hidden within the heart. People sang, clapped, lifted their hands, and danced before the Lord. Celebration was not considered undignified but appropriate in the presence of a faithful God. David himself danced before the Lord with all his might when the ark was brought into Jerusalem. His response was not restrained or calculated. It was gratitude overflowing into action. To leap for joy is to allow what God has done on the inside to show on the outside. It is the body agreeing with the spirit that God is worthy of praise. Sometimes rejoicing is quiet. Other times it moves. It lifts hands, opens mouths, and even moves feet. Not for show, but as an expression of trust and thanksgiving. In these weeks, we have returned to joy again and again. We have been reminded that joy is already given, already present, already available. Joy strengthens us. Joy sustains us. Joy remains. And sometimes, that joy overflows. So REJOICE and leap for JOY. Not because life is perfect, but because God is faithful. REJOICE! Not because the road is easy, but because you are not walking it alone. REJOICE! Not because everything has changed, but because He never does. REJOICE! Let the JOY rise. Dance. Sing. Shout.

Rejoice Joy: A Heavenly Deposit “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 A few years back, there was a movie titled The Pursuit of Happyness (yes, that is how it is spelled). In this movie, a man stayed persistent through homelessness and poverty to become a successful businessman. The movie portrays how perseverance can push you to achieve the “American Dream.” According to our U.S. Declaration of Independence, we are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights. Among these rights is the “pursuit of happiness.” However, if we are in constant pursuit, do we ever possess and overtake happiness? Are we ever really satisfied? What happens when our external circumstances change? Are we once again in pursuit of this sometimes elusive and fickle emotion? Scripture points us to something deeper than happiness. The word rejoice speaks to having a deep internal jubilation. Biblically speaking, it is something not moved by outside influences. You see, joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is innate in the believer by the Holy Spirit. We do not have to pursue it, chase it, or even conjure it up. As mentioned in last week's devotional, we only have to receive it. It is a gift given by God to His children. We only have to choose to look inside and remember the gift given to us by our Father. This deep, abiding sense of jubilation is not because all is well on the outside; it comes from knowing that all is well on the inside. It is well with our souls. The Spirit of God within us allows us to smile through tears and laugh through pain. It allows us to continue celebrating when the party ends, and to keep dancing when the music stops. This joy is unshakeable, unmovable, and everlasting. It is our strength. So today, stop, look inside, and rejoice! Joy is here. There is no need to chase it; it lies within every believer. Therefore, we can rejoice in the Lord always, and again, and again, and again. Follow & Stay Connected: NechamaCoaching.com