Ezekiel: Full of Faith or Wimp?

Yesterday I read a fascinating little comment in a sermon by John Wilbur Chapman from 1894. He quotes another 19th-century preacher, John McNeil, on the story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37). You know the story. God asked Ezekiel "Son of man, can these bones live?"

Ezekiel does not say yes or no. McNeil imagines the prophet looking down at the dead bones in which no life was present and being afraid to say yes. But then he also looked up to God in heaven and, knowing that God probably wouldn't have asked him if it was not possible, was afraid to say no. So he punted: "Oh Lord God, only you know."

If McNeil is right about Ezekiel's hesitation, I am right there with the prophet. It is so much easier to have faith when studying the Bible or in prayer or in theoretical discussion about the power of God. However, it is another thing altogether when you are called upon to pray for a dying child or for a marriage that has crumbled. Then the reality, even impossibility, of the situation intrudes on all the best theories.

On the other hand, it is one thing to have all the faith in the world that God can fix the situation before you. However, how do we know what God intends or wants to do in this situation? I forget who said that it was difficult to speak for a God who keeps his own counsel. It is perhaps just as arrogant to believe that every person you pray for will be healed as it is faithless to believe that none will be.

In the end, I wonder if McNeil was too hard on poor Ezekiel. Perhaps the prophet was not undaunted by the monumental task. Maybe he just didn't know what God wanted. So he gave the best answer he could: "Only you know."