Bible Society of South Africa
Gerhard Lindeque

Pentecost – Day 1 (25 June)

God’s Spirit gives life

(Di)temana ya Bibele

HESEKIELE 37

Molala wa marapo a a omeletšego

1Maatla a Morena a ile a nkaparela, gomme moya wa gagwe wa ntšea wa yo mpea molaleng wo o bego o tletše marapo. 2Morena a ntshepetša le molala, gomme ka bona go na le marapo a mantšintši, le gona a omeletše kudu. 3A mpotšiša a re: “Wena motho wa nama, na marapo a a ka buša a phela?”

Nna ka mo fetola ka re: “Morena, Mong wa bohle, ke wena fela o tsebago!”

4Yena a re: “Porofetela marapo a, o a botše o re: ‘Lena marapo a a omeletšego, theeletšang mantšu a Morena.’ 5O a botše gore nna, Morena, Mong wa bohle, ke re go ona: Ke tla le tsenya moya ka le phediša gape, 6ka le kgomaretša mešifa le dinama gomme ka le apeša letlalo. Ke tla le tsenya moya ka le phediša gape. Ke mo le tlago lemoga gore ke nna Morena.”

7Ka gona ka porofeta ka moo ke laetšwego ka gona. Ya re ke sa bolela ka kwa lešata la mogwaša, gomme marapo a thoma go kopana. 8Ge ke ntše ke lebeletše ka bona marapo a eba le mešifa le dinama, a napa a apešwa ke letlalo. Eupša go be go se ne moya mebeleng yeo.

9Modimo a re go nna: “Wena motho wa nama, porofetela moya wa bophelo. Botša moya woo gore Morena, Mong wa bohle, o o laela gore o tle o etšwa ka mathoko ka mane mme o budulele mebele ye o e phediše gape.”

10Ke moka ka porofeta ka moo ke bego ke laetšwe ka gona. Moya wa tsena mebeleng yeo, ya phela gomme ya ema ka maoto. Ya ba batho ba bantši go swana le makokokoko a madira.

11Morena a re go nna: “Wena motho wa nama, setšhaba sa Israele ka moka se swana le marapo ao. Bona ba re re omeletše, re feletšwe ke tshepo, re fedile. 12Ka gona porofetela setšhaba sa Israele o se botše gore nna, Morena, Mong wa bohle, ke ya go fatolla mabitla a bona ka ba ntšha, ka ba bušetša nageng ya Israele. 13Mohla ke fatolla mabitla a bona mme ke ba ntšha, ba tla lemoga gore ke nna Morena. 14Ke tla ba tsenya moya wa ka, ka ba phediša gape, gomme ka dira gore ba dule nageng ya bona. Ke mo ba tlago lemoga gore Morena ke nna. Ke tshepišitše, gomme ke tla phetha bjalo. Ke realo, nna, Morena.”

HESEKIELE 37:1-14NSO00Bula go Mmadi wa Bibele

It is often only when we reach our lowest point in our lives that we experience the power of God’s Spirit. After all, Jesus Christ taught us: Blessed are those who know how dependent they are on God. We also remember Paul’s famous words: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The prophet Ezekiel is going through a spiritual low. He experiences that he is in a valley full of dry bones. The whole picture speaks of death and hopelessness. It is symbolic of the nation of Israel in exile. They lost courage. Sometimes we feel that way too – we no longer feel like living. We find it difficult to look to the future. The sadness overwhelms us and we feel spiritually drained.

In the scripture, the Lord shows the prophet a situation that seems impossible and asks him to do something that sounds completely illogical. He must stand firm as a prophet and speak to the dry bones. In this way, God involves Ezekiel. God works miracles while you and I continue with our responsibilities as children of the Lord – no matter how dire things around us may seem.

How do we, as children of God, act when faced with difficult situations? Not by withdrawing ourselves and giving up, but by continuing with our responsibilities as children of God. God’s Spirit now dwells in us and makes us alive. He makes us look forward again and shapes us into new people who start living and acting in a new way. God ultimately works miracles when we live with forgiveness, compassion and endurance. There is hope. We will start to experience God’s deliverance more and this will happen in ways we do not expect.

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