Title: Life from Death/ Topic: Resurrection Power

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 36; Ezekiel 37; Psalm 110; Revelation 19

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-3; 9-10
1 The hand of the LORD was upon 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, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Observation: I love this story! It fills me with hope every time I read it. Ezekiel is taken to a valley full of dead, dry bones and the Lord asks him if the bones can live again. I always thought Ezekiel's answer was very wise, "...Lord, you alone know". He doesn't want to get caught by a trick question. To any thinking person, those bones are as dead as anything can get; no life is possible. But nothing is impossible with God! He brings them to life and then asks Ezekiel to prophecy the breath of life into them and they came to life! Notice that God has Ezekiel participate in this amazing resurrection by prophecying. Ezekiel had to take action for the miracle to take place.

Application: When I have situations that seem absolutely without any hope or dreams that have died, I can pray and ask God to bring his resurrection power to bear on the situation. God gives hope to the hopeless, power to the weak, laughter to those who mourn and strength to the weary. I can come to him when I am in any of these states and have him breathe his breath of life into me! I can also ask him to bring his resurrection power to bear on any situation that needs it. I do need to prepare to act on anything he tells me to do as part of that process though, or it may not happen. Ezekiel had to obey the Lord by speaking the words of prophecy over the bones in order for them to live. If I'm not prepared to participate with God, I shouldn't expect his power to manifest itself on my behalf.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that you can make dead things live! Thank you for allowing me to participate in your miracles. May I be ever ready to do so.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.