thoughts.

I seem to keep coming back to Ezekiel 37 (the valley of dry bones). It is such a powerful story, not to mention incredible imagery. I keep picturing something with bones, in Ezekiel's account he describes being led among a valley full of bones, I picture piles of them... he says "there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry." and the Lord says, 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..." power. glory. regeneration...

"Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live..." (I really appreciated the bit Rob mentioned about wind and the movement of the Spirit.) How do you visually convey a glimpse of something that is an invisible mystery?

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, HE SAVED US, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life!!!" (Titus 3:4-7)

Also thinking about how regeneration is God's activity, his initiative, accomplished by his power and strength.....and mercy...very dry, dead bones are pretty powerless!!

"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!"
(psalm 90:17)