"We call out to dry bones, come alive, come alive!"

Ezekiel 37: 1-3

The hand of the Lord was on 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. 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. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

***
God spoke to Ezekiel.  Can you imagine God speaking directly to you?  Ezekiel was humbled and in awe, as we should be as we approach the Word of God and his Holy Spirit.  But what's with the 'dry bones?'  The dry bones were God's chosen people, Israel.  They were dead because they were far from God and without hope.  God also speaks to us today.  Dry bones are any who are dead without the hope of Christ's saving grace.

***

vs. 5-6

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

***

Imagine God bringing the dead dry bones to life.  He is God, he can do anything.  He brings life where there is none, just as in the beginning he breathed life into the world.

***

vs. 11-14
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people 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: 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.’”

***

Is God speaking to us today?  Is our nation cut off without hope?  In a nation based on faith, so many have turned away.  They do not put their trust in God, and so are led astray.  What's right is now considered wrong and what is wrong is considered right.  We put our trust in our bank accounts, our jobs, our homes, even religious trappings.  We are proud. 

God please humble us.  Let us see that you love us.  Do not turn away.  We want you to renew us and make us your people again.  The Christian church needs to turn to you as our only hope of salvation; to remember that we are not in charge.  All things of the earth pass away.  We need to store up treasure in heaven where they will last always--obeying God, loving others, praying for guidance.  Send your Holy Spirit to guide us on the path eternal.

In Jesus' holy name, Amen.