Ezekiel 37:1-3, 11-14 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ 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 the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

This lesson will be short, but my prayer is God will anoint these words to be powerful and effective.

The Lord put before Ezekiel a valley full of dry bones. Bones that once were encased in flesh. Bones that were once encased in hopes and dreams. Bones that were once encased in valor. However, over time the bones became dry bones. Dry brittle bones.

Time has a way of eroding our faith in vision, dreams and hope for a better life. I believe it is an essential part of our DNA to want the good in life. I also believe it is safe to say out of 7 billion people across this globe, the majority want the best that life has to offer. Anything less would be unimaginable.

At this very moment I am asking you to take a moment to reflect upon your life. What hope and dreams have become a valley of dry bones for you. Is it hopes and dreams for your family? Is it the resurrection of a dead marriage? Is it an estranged relationship that has left you scarred. Or perhaps it’s none of the above; but your dry bone issue has caused many sleepless nights. And I’m not talking about being “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Confront your dry bones today with the love, power, and grace of Jesus that can and will resurrect any valley of dry bones in your life. Like Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:5-7  I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

To God be the glory, amen.

** If you are in need of prayer (Ephesians 6:18), please click “Prayer Request” . I would love to pray for you. I also ask that you think of others whom you can share this message with.