“This is the sound of dry bones rattling”
In church this morning we sang the song Rattle. I’ve sang it many times, but this time it struck me differently. This time it was far more personal.
“Saturday was silent surely it was through. But since when has the impossible ever stopped You? Fridays disappointment is Sunday’s empty tomb since when has impossible ever stopped you? This is the sound of dry bones rattling. This is the praise make a dead man walk again. Open the grave, I’m coming out. I’m gonna live, gonna live again. This is the sound of dry bones rattling.”
So many years ago Jesus died on a Friday, and then on a Sunday his dead bones became alive. He rattled the tomb, so that you and me could live forever! I love the image of how he has done this for me. Years ago I felt like a dead woman walking around in an empty shell. I believed all the lies the enemy threw my way. But then, just as the song says, “Pentecostal fire stirring something new…..this is the sound of dry bones rattling.” I felt the fire of God surge through my being and the emptiness filled up with his love. He rattled my entire life!
He turned hopelessness into hope.
Pain into growth.
Fear into faith.
Sorrow into joy.
Silence into words.
Shame into Conquerer.
Guilt into freedom.
Sinner into Saint!
He rattled me through and through. Dead woman walking, empty shelled and afraid, rescued by the gift of redemption. This is what he did, and he is still doing this for all of us. He still fills me with his Spirit and rattles my bones to life. He still calls me his friend, his beloved Bride. He still sees me seated next to him, he is still speaking to my heart. Still, every day every step of the way.
I’m suppose to speak at a conference the end of this month, and I’ve felt stuck on what to say, how to start, which direction to take it. But, now I know. I too can say that I was once dead, but now I live. The tomb that held my dry bones are revived with the breath of Jesus deep within me. The tomb of hopelessness, pain, fear, sorrow, silence, shame, guilt and sin is now replaced with the heart and love of Jesus.
What has Jesus replaced in your life? How has he rattled your bones?
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