Open Your Graves

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
-Ezekiel 37:11-14

 Earlier in this chapter, the hand of the Lord took Ezekiel to a valley. This valley was full of bones. There weren't just a few little bones here and there. This valley was FULL of very dry bones. The word says that the Lord led him back and forth through them; and there were "a great many bones." Then, the Lord asked Ezekiel if these bones can live. He gave God a pretty good answer! Ezekiel said, "O Sovereign Lord, only you know." Then, God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones. Prophesy to dead, dry bones? I would have thought that was pretty crazy! But, Ezekiel did it. He prophesied to those bones and he heard a sound. With a rattling sound, the bones came together! Suddenly, tendons and flesh appeared on them; but there was no breath. Then God had him prophesy to the breath. After he spoke, breath entered the bodies and they rose to their feet - a vast army! Amazing!
 How many of you are in a valley right now? Do you feel like the hand of the Lord has led you into a valley? And maybe, you look around and all you see are bones. Dry bones. What is dead and dry in your life? Surely something comes to mind. If not, ask God, he will reveal it. Do you feel like hope has dried up? Maybe, you just don't see how life could come from so many dried up bones.
 Fortunately for us, raising dead things is our God's specialty! Perhaps you need to do what Ezekiel did. Admit that all you see are dry bones. Confess that only He knows if they can be brought to life. And then, prophesy (speak truth) to those bones! Speak life into your own life. Even when all we see with our own eyes is death, the Word is still living! Speak what you know is true. Stand on it. Then, watch the God who loves to revive, revive you! There is nothing He can't revive. He has already conquered death. Let Him take you to that valley. Go ahead and survey the bones. But don't hang out with them. Open your mouth and speak life and truth to yourself and others. Without fail, He will "open your graves and bring you up from them!"