a legacy of bones

So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

2 Kings 13:20-21

This account of the legacy of the prophet Elisha is a record of the power of God in the life, and the death, of His prophet. Elisha’s prophetic ministry was marked by the miraculous. God used Elisha to heal, help, and even to raise the dead, so that God’s Word would be received by God’s people. Even in death, God chose to leave a miraculous legacy in the bones of the man of God. There was still power at work in prophetic ministry. The prophet had power to point of God’s truth in life. And even from the grave God kept getting the glory for His servant’s work among His people.

This is quite humbling as I ponder it. Elisha did not move those bones! He was long gone to his reward. God chose to use the prophet both in life and in death. God chose to keep a miraculous legacy in this last miracle in the story of Elisha. God made the touch of bones brings life. God creates, calls, uses, supports, and gets the glory from the people He shapes to His service. Any legacy they may leave is ONLY and COMPLETELY the Lord’s doing.

And so, I repent of thinking I am in charge of my own legacy... my own ministry... my own life. It is foolishness to fall for this! God uses dead bones if He so desires! I am nothing special. God may choose to use me. I must be yielded to His Lordship for that to happen. I must let my Savior live in me. I mess it all up when I try to do it all. I know this, sadly, on a fairly regular basis when I screw it up. Instead, I choose to be whatever God wants to make of me. I will be dry bones if that is what God wills to use. I will be nothing so God can be everything. Gladly do I trust that a legacy of bones will give God my Savior all the worship and credit only He deserves.