a real wordy blog...

One time when I was in high school, I was pulling into the parking lot of Borders, and I saw a friend of mine who was pulling out of the parking lot. We waved at each other, what I thought was a good bye, but he proceeded to turn around and find me in the parking lot.

He told me “I just bought this book, and I don’t know why, but I knew that I was supposed to give it to someone... then I saw you. So here’s the book.”

The book was Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Frankly, C.S. Lewis was a little too far over my head in high school. In fact, it’s still quite mind-blowing today. What a book, what an incredible mind, what an incredible story. And what a man of God. Now, I think I’ve passed that book on to my brother and hopefully he’s passed it on to someone else. But I love the story of how that book ended up in my hands.

Today my mom made sure I had the book Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts in my hands before I hopped on my plane to Canada (yes, I have a stamp from Canada in my passport now... it is a real place). In just the first few chapters he talked about a revolution that is going to take place in Europe. Read this:

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley, it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered “O Lord God, you know.”

Then he said to me “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked and behold there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Sometimes, the state of things in Spain looks like a valley of dry bones. Europe in general can feel like a dark, sad place. It seems very hopeless, and that Spaniards themselves are saying “Our hope is lost... we are clean cut off” and they seem to be ok with it.

But my God, who is so much bigger than En Vivo, and Salamanca, and Spain and Europe and every continent on the planet, is going to bring these kids to life.... this country to life. An exceedingly great army of young people who will know the Lord. At a glance, it might look and feel impossible, but I think that’s exactly when God likes to work. We just can’t doubt when He tells us what to do.

Pray for Spain today please. Pray for the whole world today, that something would change through our prayers. We’re about to start a new semester in Salamanca, and if you’re reading this (way to go!), you already play a huge part in this. Thank you. Now we just have to pray for God to bring it. Bring it on. And get us ready for it. Cause He says He will do it.