Ezekiel has never been my go-to choice of chapters to read in the Bible, but one particular chapter has made a big impact on my current season of life—being present to enjoy the moment before me and also waiting humbly and patiently for things to come.

Ezekiel chapter 37 is titled, The Valley of Dry Bones in which Ezekiel has a vision of a valley filled with many skeletons scattered about, and God asks him if he thinks these bones can live again. Giving God full sovereignty, Ezekiel acknowledges that only God himself knows if what has been dead can come back to life.

Under God’s instruction, Ezekiel prophesies to the bones that they will come to life. In verses 7-8, he hears a rattling noise as the bones came together and were joined with tendons, flesh, and skin. Next, Ezekiel prophesies to the breath and the once decaying bones became living, breathing humans—not just one or two but a vast army! (v10) That display of God’s ultimate power to Ezekiel in his vision would have been absolutely extraordinary and one dream he would certainly never forget!

The deeper meaning was even more significant and impactful as God explained that these bones brought back to life were a representation of Israel who had been captives in Babylon—feeling dried up and without any hope. (v11) Ezekiel was instructed a final time to prophesy to God’s people that the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to life, just like the valley of bones, and to the land of Israel. (v12) He would give his people the Holy Spirit and they would forever know that all of this miraculous working was from God’s doing. (v14)

I love the imagery of something that is well and truly dead coming back to life, not through any human ingenuity but only from God’s Almighty hand.

Over the last weeks, I have contemplated what has been rotting and is currently dead in my own life. Things such as holding a grudge, keeping a sour attitude, and finding it difficult to love unconditionally are some of my personal examples of some “rotting bones” I have been carrying with me. And daily being hard on myself, believing negative thoughts, and doubting hope for my dreams have been some of the “dry bones” within me as of late.

I am bringing my rotten and dry bones to God and asking for him to bring new life to me through his Spirit—restoring anything that is dead within me.

Friend, perhaps you have some dry bones within you as well?

Believe that God has more for you than dry bones!

As you surrender the dead and rotten areas of your life, He will let what is dead in you, come back to life in a healthier new way.

His way!