"Bones"

Back when that old prophet,

Was by the Spirit led,

Into a bone-filled valley,

And then the Good Lord said,

Can these bones live again,

The prophet said, You know,

That’s when God gave him the words,

A miracle to show.

Tell the bones that they will live,

With bodies they will rise,

And then the wind will give them breath,

Amazing in our eyes.

And sure enough it happened,

And then from the four winds,

The Spirit came to give them life,

And army to begin,

To show the hope that God alone,

Can give to hopeless man,

Raising them from graves of death,

And then they’re born again.

Home from exile, home at last,

Restored to God complete,

Bones long dead can come alive,

When they hear the Good Lord speak.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. The you will know that I am the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 37:5, NLT)

When the prophet Ezekiel was led by the Spirit into the valley of dry bones he did not know what to expect. But God had a powerful message of hope to both tell and show him. For centuries God has used the vision of the dry bones coming to life as a hope-giver. When the circumstance is impossible, God can make what is dead come alive. He can free what is bound, heal what is sick, and restore what is lost. God is a miracle-working, hope-giving God. It’s best to remember it.

Lord, help us rely on You to give us life, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.