Transformer Life

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” Ezekiel 37:9b

Father, we ask for Your presence to come from the four winds and for Your Holy Spirit to breathe on those slain by the wounds of abortion.  Father, breathe on them at the Deeper Still retreats so that they may live. 

The mood in our pearl white mini-van was joyous and playful as we traveled home from church.  As often is the case in said mini-van, one of the kids asked a random hypothetical question.  The question today:

 

“If you could choose anything not real to be alive, what would you choose?”

My husband, as if he had waited his entire life for such a question, immediately answered, “Transformers!”   My husband was not referring to the electrical kind of transformers, but rather the fictional robots that change from a car to an alien over life-sized fighting machine.  Does Optimus Prime ring a bell?

 

The kids instantly dismissed Dad’s answer claiming it to be impossible for Transformers to be alive. Like any of their answers were any better! Ahem…stuffed animals.  After all, wasn’t pretense the point of the question?  The minds of kids are baffling at times.

Anyway, the question posed in the mini-van reminded me of several stories in the Bible where something not living did indeed come alive. (2 Kings 14:21, 2 Kings 4:34, John 11:44, John 20, Matt 9:25)

There were no Transformers in the Bible (although I think we can all agree that would have been cool!), but the resurrection power of God is transforming.  It changes the inanimate, into life breathing, death conquering fighting machines.

 

When the wind of the Holy Spirit moves and breathes life, miracles happen.  The wind of the Holy Spirit breathes on those slain by the wounds of abortion and causes them to come alive and become transformers who will fight for freedom, fight for life, and fight for truth.

 

Ezekiel 37:10 ”…And breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

 

God is raising up an army of life breathing and life giving transformers for His Kingdom!!  Although our kids might disagree, I think my husband’s answer was perfect!

  

Arise. Run. Marvel

“But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.” Luke 24:12

Oh sweet Heavenly Father, how we thank you for the empty tomb!  How we thank you for the resurrection life of Jesus Christ and the new life we have because He lives!  Thank you for the Cross and the new life we have because of the death and resurrection of our Savior King Jesus.  We marvel at what You have done for us.  We pray that participants of Deeper Still would arise and run to Jesus as Peter did.  I pray then they would stoop down and see the resurrection power and marvel at what has happened.  Amen. 

In reviewing the resurrection of Jesus, my attention was drawn to the grave clothes.  In Luke 24, it says the grave clothes were lying there by themselves.  In the gospel of John, it gives a little more detail and says that the grave clothes were lying there, but the handkerchief that had been around His head was folded off to the side by itself. 

I began thinking about these grave clothes lying there and thought of Lazarus.  In John Chapter 11, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, but when he was raised from the dead, his grave clothes were still tightly wrapped on him.  He needed help to be unwrapped, loosed, and set free.

 

“And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:44

In contrasting these two resurrections, the grave clothes kept coming to my mind.  I don’t think it is an accident in scripture that they are different.  Jesus could have removed the grave clothes from Lazarus miraculously.  After all, he did raise him from the dead.  I think He could certainly untie a bandage.  So, why didn’t He?  Perhaps it was for this very contrast.  Perhaps not, but it is an interesting point to consider.

 

Death can come in many forms.  Every day people who are very much alive choose decisions that lead to a death in their lives.  Abortion does lead to an actual death of a person.  There is no denying that death is real in abortion.  However, there is a spiritual and emotional death in the person who has the abortion as well. 

Our Jesus is the giver of life.  His death was to pay the penalty for all our sins.  He died to give us new life.  And He died not only to forgive us of our sins, but also so we could be free of our grave clothes.

Lazarus experienced a death in his life.   Jesus gave him life.  However, the grave clothes were still on him.  Jesus called others to gather around him to help him get free. 

Jesus’ grave clothes just fell off of Him!  The grave clothes couldn’t stay on Him.  The grave clothes couldn’t hold Him.  That is the resurrection power of Jesus!  It not only brings life, it also removes all signs of death!  It removes all the bondages of death and brings freedom. 

   

I believe these two examples mirror what the Deeper Still team does.  Deeper Still comes alongside those who are still wearing their grave clothes and helps them get loosed and free!

More importantly, Deeper Still provides an environment for an encounter with the living God.  And when those grave clothes are hit with the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, Lord Almighty, the grave clothes just start falling off!!  That is what is so exciting to see!

 

The grave clothes fall to the ground.  We see the grave clothes lying there.  And like Peter, we marvel at what has happened--the resurrection power of Jesus.  Oh Lord, we marvel at Your love and glory.