What would you do if God told you to prophesy over a pile of dried-out bones? Or, to speak to a dried-up dream? Some of us would like to believe that we would do that just. Well, God bless you. For others, not so fast. Our logical minds would instantly react: “How does that make any sense?” “What is that going to do?” “I don’t want to look like an idiot!” or some variation of those statements. Yet, isn’t it just like God to sometimes ask us to do the illogical in order for us to see the supernatural? Often times we miss out on God’s exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20) because, in our mind’s eye, it just doesn’t add up. Hence, we do nothing or we do something that seems logical to us but very different than what God asked us to do.
However, God did not give us the task of trying to figure Him out, but rather that we trust Hm. Even when His instructions do not make sense to our natural minds. Through the prophet Isaiah, He declares, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, AMP). While some believe this portion of Scripture relates to God’s pardon (see vv. 1-7), it could apply to any and everything because we, with our finite minds, can and could never understand the infinite mind of God. Paul puts it this way: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” Romans 11:33-34.
Standing in his vision in the valley of dry bones which represented the dried-up dream of the exiled ancient Israelites, God gave Ezekiel three sets of instructions that made no sense: “Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, ‘O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD’ (see Ezekiel 37:4-6); “Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live'” (see v. 9); “Prophesy and say unto [these bones], ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel'” (see vv, 11-14). With every obeyed instruction, things happened (vv. 7-8; 10) with the fulfillment of the third prophesy coming later on. Couldn’t God have done all of this without human intervention? Of course, He could have, but then the prophet would not have learned the importance of the results that came from acting on God’s word or be reminded that God is God over everything, including helpless-looking situations.
God is as trustworthy today as He was then. It is no wonder Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the servants at the wedding where the wine ran out, “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5). Implied in the statement is that regardless of whatever it was, no matter how crazy it sounded, don’t try to figure it out, just do it! In other words, let God be God! Often times when we ask Him for help or directions, He will give us instructions. We are meant to be active participants in God’s plan for our lives and this requires us to act on what He has spoken into our hearts. It doesn’t have to make sense to us or anyone around us; He knows what He is doing. In the Proverbs, we read, “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]” (3:5-6). Notice the promise comes with conditions that have to be met first. God will always do His part. It is up to you and me to do ours, and let God be God.
