Clear blue skies, not as deeply blue as when the snow was on the ground, but none-the-less, blue with no clouds.  Bright sun starting to warm the ground, although we know it will not penetrate very deep and will be once again well below freezing tonight – indeed not yet above freezing as I write, still only 31, not sure it will get much warmer.  Supposed to have sleet and snow this week, it is winter after all.

Fixed the last of the left-over turkey last night – make turkey pot pie, we finished it today at lunch.  Most everything else has been eaten.  The carcass of the turkey was boiled and simmered into a rich dark broth for future soups or addition to casseroles.  It tastes so much better than the store’s. 

Ezekiel 37:1-5  The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

² And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

³ And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.

⁴ Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

⁵ Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

This, of course, was a resemblance and analogy of what Israel had become as they had turned away from God.  They were dried up they were without the guidance and protection of God.  Their souls were as dry as these bones, but they could, and would, come alive once again.

But as we read through the Chapter we see that God was going to once again bring the nation together under Him.  Despite all their sins and turnings from Him, despite their denial of His power and rightful place in their hearts, God was going to give them life once again.  They would become one people, one nation serving Him.

Our spirits at times also feel like they are dry, as dry as that valley of dry bones.  We read His Word, we study, we pray, but we feel like we are drying up.  Our souls seem have no moisture no life, they are slowly withering into nothingness. 

God seems to be so far from us and we can’t reach Him.  Our hands extent out, but we feel no relief.  We are as dry as those bones and feel we can do nothing about it.

We languish in our despair, will we ever have that life surging through us again?  Will our bodies, minds and spirits once again work as one and accomplish something?  Or will we deteriorate to the point that we are but dry bones?

Our country is in disarray denying the authority of God and worshipping idols; proclaiming man as the only power worthy of consideration.  We feel we are doomed to be destroyed by our own indulgences – and if something doesn’t change we will be right.  We ask where is God in this time of need?  How can we convince Him that we need His gentle hand on us and this nation?   

We are not alone when we feel like that.  The Psalmists declared the same feelings and we see they relied on their knowledge of the scriptures to help them through those troubling times.

Psalm 30:10-12   Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.

¹¹ Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Throughout the Testaments, Old and New, men confessed their anguish, confessed their feelings of separation from God and prayed, with a heart full of sorrow but with a knowledge that God was there and loved them.  The country of Israel was beset on every hand by its stubbornness and disregard of the Lord their God and His commandments.  Yet, there were those that prayed.  Those that desired to see God’s Spirit once again move among them.

Our nation is as Israel was, in rebellion against God.  The result has been a huge division among our people.  Hatred and violence abounds.  Distrust is the primary feeling among us and the gulf of suspicion widens. 

Distrust of corporations, who many feel are ravaging the world for their own profits without regard to the needs of the world - colors our opinions and turns into distrust of all businesses.  Any regulation that stifles industry becomes as an arrow into personal freedom and creativity.  It is coming to the point that there is no middle ground.

Accusations and mistrust of the Federal Government by many and the feeling it is the only salvation by others.  The distrust of federal government becomes distrust of all government.  We have a heavy cloud of fear and hatred hovering over our country and it is raining in a destructive flood of anger and violence.  

The anger and distrust among the people in our country is much like it was just before, during and after the Civil War.

Broken families, no families - where children are born out of wedlock for the welfare money and then forgotten.  Abuse of the system and abuse of power flourishes today; no accountability, no recognition of righteousness - we are adrift in a wilderness of sin.  Everyone seems to be out to get whatever they can no matter the cost to others and society in general.

This country is like that valley of disconnected bones that need the Word of God preached, the Spirit of God to move among us and the people to look to God for salvation.  We need prayer warriors and Spirit led men and women who will unselfishly preach God’s Word.

We need God.

But with Him, with His Love and Grace the Spirit can once again work within the people of this country.  The dry bones of rebellion can once again be filled with the water from the source that will never run dry.  The body will come together and be able to move and serve Him as He deserves.

We have a great nation, but it is falling apart because denying God and His rightful place in the world has become the prevalent force in our nation.  Until we reverse that, until we accept Him for who He is we will continue to spiral down with ever increasing speed into that cesspool of degeneration.

We will be like all the other great Gentile nations that have gone before us.  Once mighty and powerful, but so full of sin God turned His back on them and they perished.  We are not all that far from that happening.

God wants to refill us with His Spirit; He wants to once again pour out His Blessings on this Land.  But that will not happen as long as Christians allow this nation to be held captive by those that deny Him.

John 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

And 14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We are a dry and thirsty land, but it is not too late to accept the water HE offers and bind ourselves together in Him.  All it takes is submission to Him.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again