**Devotional – Hope Awakening**
Read: Ezekiel 37
“He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’” (Ezekiel 37:3a)
The question caught Ezekiel off guard. For a moment, his mind wandered back to his very first vision of God. Then, he had seen the heavens opened and had caught a glimpse of God and the awesome majesty of his throne. “And when [he] saw it, [he] fell upon his face…” (Ezekiel 1:28) Snapping back to present day, the prophet looked around the valley that God had just spirited him to. Now, he “saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.” (Ezekiel 37:3)
Ezekiel hesitated. He still recalled the appearance of God’s glory, the fire, the brightness of His beauty. But right now, his eyes beheld another story – a valley full of dead, dry bones. Whatever life had once coursed through those remains was long gone. Could they live again? It certainly didn’t look like it. Still, if anyone could bring these bones back to life, it was God. Finally, he responded with the only truth he could wrap his mind around. “[He] said, ‘Sovereign Lord, you alone know.’” (Ezekiel 37:3b)
Sometimes the situation in front of us is so overwhelming, it blocks everything else out – even what we know to be true about God and His promises. Hope seems lost, distant and unattainable. At times like these, our best recourse is to cry out like the father seeking deliverance for his son, “Lord I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
God is faithful to meet us where we are. He responded to Ezekiel with a directive to prophesy to the bones. When all was said and done, “breath came into [the bones], and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (Ezekiel 37:10)
In the midst of their captivity, God’s people felt like they would never get out of the hole their sin had dug them into. Babylon seemed inconquerable and hope improbable. And so, God sent them a word of hope telling Ezekiel, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord…I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the LORD.”
No matter where you are today, what hurt or disappointment you’re dealing with, God is saying, “ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Father, give us the grace to receive Your word and promise of hope. Amen.
Be blessed,
R
Be blessed,
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