Is There Fire in Your Bones?

When the Spirit wants to remind you of something, He often causes the oddest verses to jump off the pages of Scripture. I’ve learned the hard way to pay attention whenever the Spirit continually leads me back to the same passage. I know there’s something in those particular words that He either wants to remind me of or teach me. For several days, my eyes have traveled back to 2 Kings 13:20-21.

The passage begins with words easy enough for a fifth-grader to understand, “Then Elisha died and was buried.” That’s straightforward enough, but what comes next offers a tad of intrigue:

“Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!” (2 Kings 13:20-21, NLT)

End of story. Period.

Why was that scene even mentioned? What could the Spirit possibly teach any of us from a story so brief?

After being led there day after day, I reluctantly stepped inside the story to take a closer look. I first took note of the family and friends attempting to have a funeral for this poor man. Their hearts’ desire was to honor their loved one and say goodbye properly, yet terror replaced their good intentions when they saw the gang of warriors. Maybe God was reminding me to persevere even when Satan tries to scare the life out of me.

Next, I observed the band of raiders. I sincerely hoped I had nothing in common with anyone seeking to inject fear into a scene. Yet, I know there are times when intimidation leaks out without any effort or intention on my part.

As I looked at Elisha’s bones, I saw the skeleton of his many years of prophecy. While the bones themselves held no special powers, the miraculous resurrection confirmed all of Elisha’s prophecies. It also foreshadowed another more famous resurrection that offered life to all who would choose to come in contact with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Finally, I decided the dead man was the main character for me in this story. Had he died suddenly? Had he been sick for an extended period of time? We don’t know the details, but some of us know what it’s like to have a stone-cold spirit. I’d been saved at 13, but trying to pay my own sin bill for the next 40+ years wore me out. It took the “old bones” of Scripture and some family and friends to move me closer to Jesus. The more I got to know Him, accept His love, and respond to His grace, the more alive I felt.

This past week I attended the funeral of an exceptionally sweet friend. She, not much older than me, had been bedridden for the last two years. There were no bones of Elisha for her to be thrown upon, but because of Jesus’ time in the tomb she can be revived and jump to her feet as soon as their eyes meet. Every tender picture that scrolled across the screen above her lifeless body was illuminated by her gigantic smile. She left a tremendous legacy of love that will live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren. What a gift!

What do you think happened to the man thrown on Elisha’s bones? We have no follow-up report.  But I somehow doubt that he just moseyed out of the tomb, strolled on home, and acted like nothing had ever happened. No, I’ll bet he couldn’t stop sharing his story. It became a fire in his bones that he would not allow to be extinguished. When others spent time with him, they knew he had been transformed, and they responded to him in a whole new way. It takes a profound dying to self to truly understand profound living!

I believe the Spirit might be teaching all of us to take note of the fear in the eyes of those who haphazardly toss us aside. Allow God time to do for them what He has done for you. Those hungering for their own second chance at life will eventually witness the resurrection power within you, and God will be glorified!

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” 

(Colossians 3:1-4, NLT)

Dear Lord,

Throw our dry bones onto the life of Your Son. Fill us with resurrection power. Let us reflect Your love, joy, and peace onto a world starving for a second chance at life. Revive us, and help us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. It’s not to us, O Lord, but to Your name that we give all of our praise and honor. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Posted in
the book cover of Is There Fire In Your Bones by Donna Jackson

Where’s Your Focus?

By Donna Jackson | October 7, 2025 |

I get Peter. He was genuine but often impulsive. Courageous yet fearful. Loyal but inconsistent. His heart believed, but he struggled with his unbelief. In two well-known Peter-stories in Scripture, the focus is often on his failures while overlooking his victories.  The story begins with Jesus learning of His cousin John the Baptist’s death. He…

The Pearl of Rest

By Donna Jackson | September 30, 2025 |

Less than 1 in 10,000 oysters produce a pearl of great value. Many believe that a grain of sand settling inside an oyster triggers the pearl-making process, but this is a myth. A pearl forms when an oyster ingests a parasite. To protect itself, the shiny, iridescent material that lines the inside of the oyster…

The Trouble With Adam and Eve

By Donna Jackson | September 23, 2025

In Eden, God’s perfect Paradise creations frolicked. The cobalt blue river provided a stunning backdrop for the king of the jungle and the playful gazelle, prancing harmoniously along the water’s edge. Catfish flipped and flopped, enjoying their swim with Ganges sharks. Majestic hawks and eagles perched contentedly in their box seats of lush green foliage,…

What Will You Remember?

By Donna Jackson | September 16, 2025

What can quickly access your brain’s photo album, seize snapshots of the past, and then paste them on the front of your mind? Smells? Sights? An old familiar face or place? Memories have the power to paint broad smiles or turn them upside down. Last week, Ron and I vacationed at the beach. As I…

Scattered

By Donna Jackson | September 2, 2025

Next door to my grandparents’ house in Auburn lived an older man I remember only as Mr. Bailey. In his younger years, he was a county agent who later worked with the agricultural department at Auburn. My grandfather would snicker every time he mentioned Mr. Bailey’s claim to fame.  It seems he played a significant…

Chaos Control

By Donna Jackson | August 26, 2025

Last week, like Jewish rabbis, we began stringing pearls together. Some of us are adding new pearls of truth to our strand of faith, while others are merely adding some shine to the pearls they’ve already gathered. Pearl #1 was: Context Matters. Our second pearl this week is: Chaos Control.  Does your life feel chaotic…

Stringing Pearls

By Donna Jackson | August 19, 2025

What makes a day good for you? Is it checking off everything on your to-do list? Maybe it’s spending time with someone you love. Or, maybe, it’s simply enjoying a few hours outside. I love all those things, but it’s an especially good day when I learn something new! Through the thin, ink-filled pages of…

Are You Dusty?

By Donna Jackson | August 12, 2025

A new school year always brings back memories for me, both as a student and as a teacher. This year, I was reminded of being a student-teacher. It’s that in-between time when your coursework is finished, but you’re not yet certified to teach a class of your own. However, before declaring a major and choosing…

My Pleasure, Chick-fil-A

By Donna Jackson | August 5, 2025

Last week, Ron and I, along with five other couples, had the privilege of touring the Chick-fil-A Support Center in Atlanta. From the moment you drive onto the property, you notice the attention to excellence paid to every small detail: manicured lawns, lush plants, crystal-clear windows, shining floors, and even sweet-smelling restrooms. Smiles brighten the…

When Did Your Journey Begin?

By Donna Jackson | July 29, 2025

It fills my heart with happy to introduce you to my Jamaican friend, Kaidean Rice. I’ve watched her love for God grow into a beautiful display of joy and peace that only comes from walking hand-in-hand with Jesus. Read her description of how her journey began and be inspired to move a little closer to…