This is what He said. “LIVE! LIVE!”—Oh, How It Remains True!
See the beauty glisten as we gazed out over the water.
Sense the rest, the peace, and the comfort as it came from a time of gathering together.
Feel the love abound for one another as some of the girls congregated on the front porch of the floating cottage.
Hear the conversation of the girls as we discussed a popular K-Love song.
This describes the weekend getaway a group of we enjoyed a few short weeks ago, one my sister Mischele organized & one we realize we need to experience more often.
Just the girls.
Just their babies.
Just for the sole purpose of laughter, good food, fun, love, and time shared.
Early that Saturday morning, before we packed up to leave, to return to our “normalcy of life,” the topic of a song arose–the lyrics from the second book of Kings, the scene where God displayed a miracle of His power and strength.
“You know what that means, don’t you?” Taylor asked as we spoke aloud the lyrics about dry bones coming to life.
Clearly we did not (know) because immediately we thought the melody spoke of the valley of dry bones when God raised up an army (another miracle for sure).
“No, that’s not what the lyrics refer to,” Taylor explained as she then described the true meaning of the song’s lyrics.
My beautiful niece Taylor (the mother of two, the MSU & The Cumberland’s graduate, the elementary school teacher, the pastor’s wife, & the Bible teacher that morning, for us) provided a Bible lesson, one that remains with me still.
- God’s Power.
- God’s Might.
- God’s Strength.
- God’s Salvation.
- God’s Presence.
- God’s Protection.
- God’s Promise.
- Gods to give—&–Ours to receive.
As I reflect upon Taylor’s lesson since that morning, I continue to question—What can my God NOT do?
Sure, we may quickly say, “Nothing. There is not anything our God cannot do.” BUT…
Do we really believe our response?
Do we live, walking, faithfully following God’s leading—In full Belief?
Do we ever cower in fear rather than stand firm in our faith—as we should?
In the Old Testament, the prophet Nahum prophesied these words to the people living in Nineveh. Believe the Word of God.
“The LORD is good,
(Nahum 1:7)
A stronghold in the day of trouble,
And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Often when driving, I hear the song on the radio, Taylor’s Bible lesson, the one she taught the group of us on the floating cottage that Saturday morning, and I am reminded of my God’s power.
See a few of the lyrics sung by Elevation Worship (Taylor’s lesson.)
"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. ... Pentecostal fire, stirring something new, You're not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon. Yeah, resurrection power runs in my veins too. I believe there's another miracle here in this room. ... My God is able to save and deliver and heal and restore anything that He wants to. Just ask the man who was thrown on the bones of Elisha if there's anything that He can't do. Just ask the stone that was rolled at the tomb in the garden WHAT happens when GOD says to move. I feel Him moving it now I feel Him doing it now I feel Him doing it now Do it now, do it now. ... Open the grave. I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live. Open the grave. I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live. 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. ... My God is able to save and deliver and heal and restore anything that He wants to. Just ask the man who was thrown on the bones of Elisha if there's anything that He can't do. Just ask the stone that was rolled at the tomb in the garden WHAT happens when GOD says to move. I feel Him moving it now I feel Him doing it now I feel Him doing it now Do it now, do it now. ... Open the grave. I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live. This is the sound of dry bones rattling. I hear the sound (I hear the sound). ... This is what He said. "LIVE. LIVE. ..." (2 Kings 13:20-21)
Every day, even today, we will face challenges, struggles, decisions, choices. We CAN believe in the Power, in the Protection, in the Might, and in the Promise of God—OR—We Cannot.
Clearly the choice is ours (all of ours—both the nonbelievers and the ones who already believe and gave their hearts to Christ, who belong to Him).
Today, let us live, & as we do—-BELIEVE.
Today, let us walk in faith, & as we do—-TRUST.
Today, let us pray, asking in full-assurance, & as we do—-Let us PROCLAIM HIS PROMISE.
Yes, today, let us—-SHARE JESUS!!!
“Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
(Ephesians 6: 10-11)
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
God gives us all the strength we need SO we can overcome, so we can find joy in every moment, SO we can forgive even when it seems impossible, SO we can rise out of whatever mess we have fallen into, SO we can make it through, and SO we can move—-yes walk forward—-toward our home reserved in heaven (secure for those who know Jesus as Savior. All we must do is Surrender our ALL to Him & Trusting Him & Realize that He Can Do All Things (even raise a dead man back to life JUST BECAUSE the dead man’s bones touched the bones of another’s). Truly, God is what He says He is. Truly, God says, “LIVE! LIVE!”
Oh, How It Still Remains True!
Hear the action God requires of us today as we LIVE in His Power: "I surrender all/I surrender all/All to Thee I freely give/I surrender all."
May we Freely Give—Our Everything to God.
Surrendering—Our Will to His Will.
ALL—Every Single Part of Our Lives.
We Do Surrender—Everything, God.
To Thee—Yes, to You God, our Savior & LORD.