This morning, I read a most remarkable story.  It appears as just a few sentences among all of the deeds of the Kings of Israel and Judah.  It says this...

"And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band [of men]; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet." ( II Kings 13:20-21)

Elisha had become weak.  It may have been from a sickness or perhaps it was simply old age which caused him to die.  But even in death, the power of the Lord was upon him.  God's anointing had even permeated his very bones.  This just blows me over.  God gave a man life from a man who was dead!

Even in Christ's death we received life.  It was important for him to die so that we might live.  To me, Christmas is more about the power of God to bring hope to a dying world.  Whatever we face in the future or even today...whatever deaths we experience, may life come from that death.

A dream has to die so that God can raise it up again.  Death does not have the final say so.  As Jesus said that he came so that we would have life...abundant life...so should we walk in that life.  The fate of our country and of our world is not sealed by militants or terrorists.  It is not sealed by drug lords or our very own government.  The fate of our country lies in our giving life wherever we go and raising the dead.  Our words, our deeds and our very bones carry the anointing of the living God.  We can expect change as we go and be what God called us to be.

By your very touch, a life can return from the grip of death.  So go, and be a life giver!