"We have become old, dry bones-all hope is gone." Ezekiel 37:11
The story of Ezekiel and the day bones has always fascinated me. I can picture the Spirit of God leading Ezekiel to the valley and the two of them straining their necks to look over. A valley of dry bones must have taken Ezekiel's breath away. He was staring at a figurative future of Israel. God's children dried up and dead, scripture says, without hope.
According to the prophecy, God's plans were not to leave the "bones" dead. He had a plan to breathe new life into His children. This marvelous plan included putting His Spirit (powerful stuff) in them and return them home. Ezekiel 36:26 says the Lord planned to replace their stony, stubborn hearts with a tender, responsive one. Oh, I love that!
God would led the Israelites to the end of themselves. He would take them to a place where they felt all their hope was gone. They would see their worship of the false gods was in vain and their disobedience to the Sovereign Lord brought nothing but heartache. The place of "death" would bring them to their knees in repentance. This place would restore their hope and give them "new life".
What does this have to do with us on Monday, August 31, 2009? Romans 4:16:
This is great news for us today! We have cause to celebrate! Paul was talking about us in this verse. We belong to Christ. We are Abraham's seed and heirs to God's promises for His chosen children because of His promise to Abraham and because of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is a written guarantee.
The next time you feel dried up, dead, and without hope, remember your guarantee.
Ezekiel 36:25-27:
According to the prophecy, God's plans were not to leave the "bones" dead. He had a plan to breathe new life into His children. This marvelous plan included putting His Spirit (powerful stuff) in them and return them home. Ezekiel 36:26 says the Lord planned to replace their stony, stubborn hearts with a tender, responsive one. Oh, I love that!
God would led the Israelites to the end of themselves. He would take them to a place where they felt all their hope was gone. They would see their worship of the false gods was in vain and their disobedience to the Sovereign Lord brought nothing but heartache. The place of "death" would bring them to their knees in repentance. This place would restore their hope and give them "new life".
What does this have to do with us on Monday, August 31, 2009? Romans 4:16:
"Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all."
This is great news for us today! We have cause to celebrate! Paul was talking about us in this verse. We belong to Christ. We are Abraham's seed and heirs to God's promises for His chosen children because of His promise to Abraham and because of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is a written guarantee.
The next time you feel dried up, dead, and without hope, remember your guarantee.
Ezekiel 36:25-27:
- He will clean the sin.
- He will give a new heart.
- He will put His Spirit in the new heart.
- He will cause the new heart to bent toward obedience.
7 Comments:
Ezekiel 36:25-27 Praise the Lord!
What caught my eye this morning was how many times God said "Then they will know I AM the Lord their God". So many times I have believed in my head but not with my heart. Knowing God could do something, but not believing He would do something(for me) and asking for a sign. So many times He said "And then they will know" But we/I still fall short of knowing all He will do for me.
Lord thank you for reminding me who you are to and for me personally. Thank you for your Love and mercy. Thank you for all you are. AMEN
Blessings,
Lynn - OR
Good Morning Ladies! Happy Monday!
Thank you Wendy; we do have reason to celebrate today! Praise You, LORD- you continually & actively pursue us! We are Your chosen children!
I loved this illustration today. No doubt about it, God has His glorious ways. Can you even imagine the revelation, Ezekiel envisioned? There appeared to be no hope of restoration with the remaining Israelites in captivity. Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed their nation. They were the pitiful left-overs of the once glorious-12 tribes under King David.
Apart from the life-giving & transforming power of the Holy Spirit, we are just a pile of dry bones too, living in the valley of death.
Reading and obey God's Word restores spiritual dryness in a believer's life.
Thank you, dear LORD for your precious Word! Thank you, for choosing each one of us to be your children! Thank you for your promise to Abraham! You, I know, are my LORD~You have placed Your Spirit inside of me. Thank you for filling me with your eternal life! Amen.
Loving God's promises right now. We always have hope in Him. Today, I look forward to seeing His Glory all around me. Hugs, Lori - AZ
Whooooeoeeeee! Amen!
Rich reading today! A perfect way to begin the week!
We have been reading about our God the judge - and learning the consequences of resisting, ignoring, forsaking and abandoning him and his decrees. Failure to recognized God as God results in death.
But oh how our God loves us and yearns to draw us to him! How faithful and trustworthy he is!
We are given a new life in him each day - a gift so precious and so huge we spend our lives learning to wrap our minds around it. It is so exciting I can barely stay in my own skin!
"See I care about you and I will pay attention to you." Ezekiel 36:9
"There will be showers of blessing" Ezekiel 34:36
"Everything will happen just as I declared it" Ezekiel 39:8
Praying showers of blessings for all of you as we begin a new week and a new month!
Liz
AK
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Oh such hope Wendy!!! Love it! So thankful for the refreshing "new life" He can breathe into my day.
I focused on, “Get ready; be prepared!…A long time from now you will be called into action.” Ezekiel 38:7,8
When I was in Public School, my mom encouraged my sister and I to study every night. We would complain and argue. We weren’t having a test the next day, probably not even the next week, but that never detoured her demand. We would study. We would be prepared. When the test was announced, and it inevitably would be, we would have already started to commit the work to memory.
Although this concept of being ready in advance was drilled into me as a young person, it’s still not something I embrace in every area of my life. I can’t say that about my mom. In a moment’s notice she could be prepared to host anyone for a visit or go anywhere because she lives in a state of “just in case”.
“Just in case” the doorbell rings and someone stops by for tea, her fridge is holding cookies, pies and sweets. Her dining room table is always set with cups, saucers and pretty serviettes. “Just in case” a call comes inviting her out, she has already cleaned her house, allowing her to get away without feeling guilty about jobs needing to be accomplished at home. “Just in case” an opportunity is offered to minister to someone, she is ready, having daily spent time in God’s Word and prayer. Even though her husband has now been in the hospital for six months, she has visited him every single day. Each day she carries a blue, canvas bag, which my sisters and I lovingly call her “hope bag”. “Just in case” a bed should become available at a long term care facility, mom is prepared for that move with extra clean clothes for dad and the supplies he would need. She is a woman prepared.
I remember sharing with a speaker friend of mine about a three-part message God had planted inside me years ago. She encouraged me to work at it and write it down. Even though I’ve only ever spoken at events where I have shared in one session, she told me to be prepared. If I wrote it in obedience to God calling, some day that opportunity would come.
God’s Word commands us to be ready in any season to tell of the hope within us. Should the door open for you to witness for Him today, could you share your testimony freely?
Let’s be ready to be used by God at a moment’s notice. I'm carrying my "blue bag".
Thanks for your prayers for my extended family this weekend. I have not heard all the outcome yet, but I know God was working. He is able!
Love & prayers,
Joy
I learned a new prayer from today's reading.
Lord, please take every dry bone in my body and in my life and fill it with Your Spirit alone. Breathe your breath into all I do, say, and love. Bend my heart toward complete obedience to You. May my life be a witness of Your transforming power! In Christ's precious name and promise, Amen.
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