Devotion:
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Read Ezekiel 37:1-10.
Jesus often told stories that caused the hearer to create a picture in their mind. “A sower went out to sow” and you can picture that. “A shepherd found a lost sheep,” “a woman found a lost coin” and “a prodigal son came back home” all create images in our mind.
That also happened in the Old Testament. This scene in our reading today is one of the most prominent examples. The prophet is bringing a message of hope to people who are in exile in a foreign land. And God gives him an image that will easily convey that message: a valley of dry bones. That describes how they were feeling; how they saw themselves. But then comes word that those bones will once again be connected, with tendons and skin and breath allowing those bones to form a body and live again. And once all the bones had been revived, there was “a vast army.” This is not just a message for one or a few people; it is good news for all of them!
When you face those times in life that appear lifeless, or when you know someone who is going through such a time, remember this image from God through the prophet Ezekiel. Never forget that God is in the life-giving business!
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