The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I replied, “Lord GOD, only you know.”
He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”
So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord GOD says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!” So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of Israel. You will know that I am the LORD, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the LORD. I have spoken, and I will do it. This is the declaration of the LORD.’”
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Where are you refusing to take faithful action because a situation, relationship, or calling looks completely hopeless or spiritually dead?
Are your actions merely going through religious motions, or are you actively inviting the Holy Spirit to breathe life into your daily routine?
Reflect on your actions this week:
The Hebrew word for Spirit (Ruach) also means breath. Set a timer for three minutes today. Sit in silence and practice a breath prayer. As you inhale slowly, pray: “Spirit of God…”. As you exhale slowly, pray: “Breathe life into my dry bones.” Do this whenever you feel spiritually numb this week, confessing your spiritual apathy and asking him to revive your heart.
Pray that God reveals the specific areas in your life where you are wandering in a spiritual wilderness. Ask him to expose the false hopes you are using to comfort yourself, and for the faith to trust his word and his righteousness.
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.