“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.”‘” — Ezekiel 37:4-5
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In the 1800s, several towns were built during the gold rush to California. The San Francisco 49ers got their name from that bygone era. However, many of those temporary towns are mostly empty today. Tourists can visit the Bodie and Calico communities in California to see trinkets, buy souvenirs and hear stories about how things used to be, but the towns aren’t what they once were. They’ve become ghost towns — deserted places that were once bustling with activity.
Many past Olympic venues have suffered the same fate. Facilities used for the Games are often maintained or repurposed, but sometimes they are deserted and forgotten. Rio and Athens are some of the most recent examples. In some cases, city leaders will try everything possible to help a community thrive, but circumstances beyond their control make it necessary for a large portion of the population to move elsewhere for opportunities.
Among the Israelites in the Bible, the prophets explained that the best way to see God’s approval and have stability was to follow God’s commandments and listen carefully to the Lord’s guidance. However, the nation declined because most people thought they knew more than God. Though God allowed Israel to reach a low point, He promised forgiveness and restoration in the future.
On one occasion, God showed one of His prophets, Ezekiel, a vision of the pitiful condition of the nation. It was compared to dead, dry skeletons because no life or enthusiasm appeared to dwell there. “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” (Ezekiel 37:1-2). As the prophet looked at the situation, it seemed impossible for physical or spiritual life to be renewed.
However, God assured Ezekiel and urged him and the people not to be discouraged because in time they would be restored and active again. Though the prophet’s hearers seemed like zombies for so long, they would awaken and respond to the message when he spoke this time. “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life”‘” (Ezekiel 37:4-5).
As surely as Christ rose from the dead, the Lord is able to restore life, save souls and give hope to the hopeless always and forever. Nothing is beyond His reach — not our communities, our nation or our world. We desperately need Him!
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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