Author’s Note: This is part of a 40 Day Lenten & Easter YWAP Devotional that explores self-sacrifice as it relates to the death and resurrection of Christ.
WHAT DO YOUR BONES SAY?
Hiking on the Arizona Trail brings you through a vast wilderness populated by many animals. They all eat different things. Sometimes bones from a meal-site can be found scattered in the forest. The only evidence left of some poor mule deer or elk is an ignominious pile of bones. No life story, just evidence of death. What about our bones, do they tell a story?
About 10 tears ago I went to the funeral of a man who was the father of my landlady. I got there early (a habit I’m trying to work on!) and sat in a church pew as the only one there. I picked up a Bible and randomly flipped it open. I landed on the 50th Chapter of Genesis and a discourse from a guy named Joseph about what to do with his bones when he died. Joe was a guy who had overcome family rejection, abandonment, being sold as a slave, ill-treatment as an employee (slave,) he was lied about, falsely charged and imprisoned as an innocent man. After struggling through hard times and trusting God, Joe lived a pretty good life. He told his family that after he died and they moved, they were to take his bones with them wherever they traveled. .
“Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” Genesis 50:24-25 (NLT)
After I read the story, I reflected on what little I knew of the man who was about to be buried. I met him once and talked with him on the phone several times. The first time I called and asked to speak with my landlady (his daughter,) he thought I had the wrong number. He engaged me in a polite and kind conversation even though he thought I had called a wrong number. I was a stranger and he was kind to me. I was a stranger and he was helpful to me. I was a stranger and he still cared for me. In a very microscopic snippet of time through a chance phone call, this man left an indelible imprint on my heart.
As is customary at many funerals, folks who know the deceased are given an opportunity to say some last words. I was moved to share the story about Joseph's bones that I read when I first arrived. To me it became apparent that I was to absorb the goodness of the man and help carry his bones through my actions. I shared my story about a short phone call that impacted my heart. You could say it shaped the bones of my life as I carried his "life-bones." I urged my fellow funeral attendees to consider carrying the bones of their Father, Grandfather and friend. He was a good man whose life-bones are worth carrying through the way we treat others. A life-bone imprint from this man would be kindness to strangers. His bones carried kindness, His bones carried helpfulness. His bones carried compassion to care for people he didn't know. His bones will rise again through me.
DAY SIX WORD
“Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,
for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this.
He said, “God will certainly come to help you.
When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”
Exodus 13:19 (NLT)
The Vision of Dry Bones
“I felt the power of the Lord was on me.
He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord.
And he put me down in the middle of a valley.
It was full of bones.
The Lord led me around among the bones.
There were many bones on the bottom of the valley.
I saw the bones were very dry.
Then he asked me,
“Human being, can these bones live?”
I answered, “Lord God, only you know.”
The Lord said to me,
Prophesy to these bones. Say to them,
‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
This is what the Lord God says to the bones:
I will cause breath to enter you.
Then you will live.”
Ezekiel 37:1-5 (ICB)
HEART THOUGHTS
Who has gone before you who is worth repeating part of their lives in your life?
HEART REFLECTIONS
Today, what positive trait that you learned from somebody can you use to encourage someone?
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW
About 10 tears ago I went to the funeral of a man who was the father of my landlady. I got there early (a habit I’m trying to work on!) and sat in a church pew as the only one there. I picked up a Bible and randomly flipped it open. I landed on the 50th Chapter of Genesis and a discourse from a guy named Joseph about what to do with his bones when he died. Joe was a guy who had overcome family rejection, abandonment, being sold as a slave, ill-treatment as an employee (slave,) he was lied about, falsely charged and imprisoned as an innocent man. After struggling through hard times and trusting God, Joe lived a pretty good life. He told his family that after he died and they moved, they were to take his bones with them wherever they traveled. .
“Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” Genesis 50:24-25 (NLT)
After I read the story, I reflected on what little I knew of the man who was about to be buried. I met him once and talked with him on the phone several times. The first time I called and asked to speak with my landlady (his daughter,) he thought I had the wrong number. He engaged me in a polite and kind conversation even though he thought I had called a wrong number. I was a stranger and he was kind to me. I was a stranger and he was helpful to me. I was a stranger and he still cared for me. In a very microscopic snippet of time through a chance phone call, this man left an indelible imprint on my heart.
As is customary at many funerals, folks who know the deceased are given an opportunity to say some last words. I was moved to share the story about Joseph's bones that I read when I first arrived. To me it became apparent that I was to absorb the goodness of the man and help carry his bones through my actions. I shared my story about a short phone call that impacted my heart. You could say it shaped the bones of my life as I carried his "life-bones." I urged my fellow funeral attendees to consider carrying the bones of their Father, Grandfather and friend. He was a good man whose life-bones are worth carrying through the way we treat others. A life-bone imprint from this man would be kindness to strangers. His bones carried kindness, His bones carried helpfulness. His bones carried compassion to care for people he didn't know. His bones will rise again through me.
DAY SIX WORD
“Moses took the bones of Joseph with him,
for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this.
He said, “God will certainly come to help you.
When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”
Exodus 13:19 (NLT)
The Vision of Dry Bones
“I felt the power of the Lord was on me.
He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord.
And he put me down in the middle of a valley.
It was full of bones.
The Lord led me around among the bones.
There were many bones on the bottom of the valley.
I saw the bones were very dry.
Then he asked me,
“Human being, can these bones live?”
I answered, “Lord God, only you know.”
The Lord said to me,
Prophesy to these bones. Say to them,
‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
This is what the Lord God says to the bones:
I will cause breath to enter you.
Then you will live.”
Ezekiel 37:1-5 (ICB)
HEART THOUGHTS
Who has gone before you who is worth repeating part of their lives in your life?
HEART REFLECTIONS
Today, what positive trait that you learned from somebody can you use to encourage someone?
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW
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