Daily Devotion, July 14, 2020

Devotion: Read Ezekiel 37:1-14.

Our Summer Bible Challenge this week focuses on parables of the Bible. We don’t always think of parables in the Old Testament, but they are there. Parables are stories with spiritual meaning that are told in the everyday language of the listeners. As a devout priest and prophet, Ezekiel preached to the Israelites to turn from their wicked ways. His message fell on deaf hears as he preached to a “dead” nation. Israel had been divided for so long that its unification and restoration seemed impossible. We read in our parable today that God gives Ezekiel a vision as a sign of hope. God transports Ezekiel—probably not literally, but in a vision—to a valley full of dry bones and asks, “Can these bones become living people?” As Ezekiel looks out and sees bones lying everywhere, he probably wants to say what you and I are thinking, “Are you kidding?!” How can something dried up live again? Maybe you would describe some area of your life as being a valley of dry bones and have sneered at the idea that these bones could live again. Maybe it’s your finances, your marriage, your health, your attitude, your purpose, your family relationships, or your spiritual journey.

God uses Ezekiel to breathe life into the bones and they stand up on their feet like a great army. He then promises to bring the exiles back to the land of Israel. He promises to breathe spiritual life into his people so that their hearts and attitudes will be right with him. Just as God promised to restore his nation of Israel, he can also restore us, no matter how dry or dead we may feel God wants us to depend on his power and not our circumstances. Instead of giving up, pray for God to renew you and restore you to life. Live in the hope that nothing is impossible with God.

Adult Challenge:

Think about the “dry bones” in your life. As you begin a new year, ask God to breathe new life into those areas. Then make a plan to do the necessary hard work that will help you move forward in a healthy and positive way.

Youth Challenge:

Have you ever felt like all hope was gone or just in a dried up place? I personally am in a place right now where I feel like new breath has been breathed into me and those dry bones have new life. We are at a great time right now where we actually have some time to stop and evaluate our spiritual life. Do you need a new breath?

Children's Challenge:

DRY BONES GAME:

Family members are encouraged to run or move around a designated area until the leader says, FREEZE DRY BONES! And immediately everyone will stop and freeze until the leader tells the DRY BONES to come alive. Family members will continue to move around and continue to FREEZE, as time allows.