Ezekiel 37:3-4, 10 “He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’  Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’  I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.”

Whenever I read this story of the dry bones I picture a desert in my mind.  I see dry cracked earth that has not seen rain in years.  Skeletons of trees and bushes are right alongside the skeletons of the Israelites in the story.  When I was a child, it was a strange story to me and I could not understand it.  Now, as I step closer to the word of God and as I walk closer to him, I see more clearly.  In times of sin and rebellion our spirits are slowly drained away and we become dry as the desert.  No rain or replenishment comes. We do not even realize it has happened, it is so gradual.  It is step by step that we go into the desert.  When we turn from our ways of selfishness and turn into the sunshine of God’s grace we will receive the rain and renewal he can give.  Through his word we receive renewal.  Our dry and brittle bones receive flesh again and the breath of life fills our lungs.  The land around us is lush and green, flowing with milk and honey.  This is a story filled with hope and grace.  God comes to us to renew and rebuild us.  Receive his gift and lift his name in praise!

Lord,

Thank you for refreshing us.  Your grace and love are never ending and you wait endlessly for us to come to you for a drink.  Speak your word to our dry bones so that we may hear and become filled with your breath of life again.  Amen.