A Message of Hope in a Hopeless Mess
“The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones become living people again?’ ‘O Sovereign LORD,’ I replied, ‘You alone know the answer to that.’”
Ezekiel 37:1-3 (NLT)
What is it in your life that feels like dry bones? Your career, your marriage, or even your future? Circumstances for Israel had brought them to a place where the entire nation was like a valley of dry bones. They were even saying, “We have become old, dry bones – all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.” Ezekiel 37:11 (NLT) Maybe you feel that way as well. In the midst of a hopeless situation, God offers hope! Israel had just been defeated by Babylon, and their Temple destroyed. They and their King were exiled to a foreign land, and for all practical purposes, they were no longer a nation with their own land. It was occupied now by their enemies. Satan’s agenda has always been to kill, steal, and destroy. It seemed for the moment like he had won. They were done! It’s always darkest before the dawn, but God was about to shed the light of His truth on their circumstances. That’s what you and I need! It’s so easy to try to determine truth by our circumstances but God wants to show us the truth about our circumstances!
He gives a message of hope for His prophet, Ezekiel, to share with them. God takes Ezekiel by His Spirit to a valley filled with dry bones and asked him if those bones could live again. Ezekiel gave the right answer. “You alone know the answer to that.” Trusting that God knows what you and I can’t possibly know is the beginning of faith! The miracle unfolds as we trust Him to be God and to do what only God can do! He then tells Ezekiel to speak to the bones. Ezekiel said, “I spoke the message, just as He told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies….” (Vs. 7-8) Then God told Ezekiel to speak to the wind and command it to breathe into these bodies so they may live again! Wow! Talk about bizarre! Before his very eyes, Ezekiel is witnessing a miracle of resurrection! God is breathing life into what was once dead. The message was for Israel, but it holds promise and hope for us today. God told Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones – all hope is gone. Our nation is finished. Therefore prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O My people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O My people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put My Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!” (Vs. 11-14)
What has God spoken to you? Has He given you a promise that sin and Satan have stolen? Do your circumstances look hopeless? Impossible? Give it to God. He can restore your life, your marriage, your passion, and give you a hope and a future, no matter how dry or dead you may feel! Rather than give up, pray for God to restore life, that God will put His Spirit into it! That’s why Jesus came! He said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full!” John 10:10b (NIV)
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.