So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them. (Ezekiel 37:7-8)

The frame that is holding my sinews and other sundry parts together is crying out, “Please speak over me; somebody prophecy so that there might be…

a noise, and behold a rattling and bones coming together, vertabrae upon vertabrae. And I looked and behold (this is my favorite part) discs were between them and you will know that I am the Lord.” (Rob’s Imagined Version)

Back to Ezekiel…

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” (Ezekiel 37:1-3)

I recall a similar line of questions being posed to three young Hebrew men; “Shadrack, will you be delivered from this furnace?” “Meshach, will you be saved from this injustice?” “Abednigo, will this fire consume you?” And the three replied;

 Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. (Daniel 3:17-18)

I was glad that God did not rebuke them for the “but-even-if-He-does-not” clause they added to their declaration. I have been living in the even-when-He-has-not with a degenerative spine since 2002. Coming to know God in the even-when-He-has-not has been powerful for me because it has prompted an exploration of the life that transcends this decaying material world. Would I have enjoyed the discoveries I have made without diseased discs? The Lord and I both know that I would have opted to leverage the remains of my spinal health in an attempt to further reduce my golf handicap or ride my bike across America. 

To bring some of us into our promised land God must hobble us. Some of us love our physical lives to the extent that we are idolaters – we are the golden image. I said some. I know there are some of you who are self-hobblers. You know its vain to pursue athletic prowess. You exercise self control. In your righteous character you deny yourself. How admirable.

Having said this, I must still declare (as unlikely as it may seem) that God is able to rebuild my frame. Even while I am experiencing pain (which tempts me to think God is busy in Africa drilling water wells) I must believe and declare that God is able. This is where this explorer is bumping into something. While I do not see my back pain as a punishment, I do have to say that God has used it to do some things in my heart that I doubt would have been possible without a little suffering. I suspect people from IHOH (International House of Healing] are being dispatched to my house even now to cast this lying spirit out of me.

Without redemption within suffering, I have no way of explaining the even-when-He-has-not. Without the redemption that accompanies pain and loss, Psalms, Job and much of Paul’s teachings might as well be ripped out of the Bible.

I have thought about trying to cut a deal with God: “If you would heal my back, I promise to limit my golf to one round (every… say 2 weeks?) and my biking to one ride per week (say…25 miles). This is just how big of a fool I am. I’m actually taking a different approach though. My declaration is fast becoming…

Though the spinal component to my outer man (and a few other vital systems) are decaying, my inner man is being renewed daily and it will outlive my body. So there!

If I had not experienced a measure of renewal in my inner man during the even-when-He-has-not, I would probably abandon this track but it is here that I have met God in new ways and it is here that I can make sense of Romans 8:28.

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

First causes are the mystery to me. Did cause my back problems or is He just using them? I believe it is the latter. I don’t believe God causes evil. Evil’s presence in our world precedes us. Our lives are front-loaded with it. And, due to our own choices, evil has profited in this world and our lives, in our reaping. Evil resulting from sin is the backstory to our decay and suffering.

Will our faith and prayers reverse this trend? I don’t know about you but I am attending more funerals than resurrections these days. That still-small-wise voice is advising me to prepare for the worst on this front.

“So, Rob can these bones of yours live? Can I heal your back?” And I reply, “God, you know. You are able to deliver me. But if you do not I am not going to abandon you just because the golden image of myself is decaying.

Father, You have brought each of us out and set us down in the middle of our own dry-bone valleys. Your hand is upon us. May Your breath be within us. Animate us by Your Spirit. Bring us into our own land. Stand this army on her feet. May evil retreat in the presence of such an exceedingly great army. Let this world see us walk out of our prisons and graves for Your name’s sake. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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