Daily Devotional: Reviving the Dry Bones

Hey wonderful friends! Glad to have you back! Today, we're exploring our daily devotional and sharing a brief, uplifting thought to add a little sparkle to your day. If you have a moment, take a look at Ezekiel 37:1-14 in your preferred Bible translation before continuing here. If you're pressed for time, just read the following and note what resonates with you:

“He said to me, “Human-one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ So now, prophesy and say to them, ‘The Lord God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. You will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I am the Lord. I’ve spoken, and I will do it.’ This is what the Lord says.”

Ezekiel, like many prophets, often employs a touch of sarcasm. He’s tasked with guiding people who are enduring an incredibly tough period. They’ve been exiled for what feels like forever, far from their homeland, struggling to maintain their faith and traditions. It’s understandable that many would be losing hope, expecting their exile to be brief, but instead, people are dying far from their roots.

God takes Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry bones and asks if these bones can come back to life. Ezekiel’s somewhat sarcastic response, “Uh, I don’t know,” is understandable. However, God instructs him to speak to the bones and call upon the wind. As Ezekiel obeys, the bones come together, gain flesh and muscle, and are fully restored. God makes a promise to the house of Israel to do the same for them.

For those who feel like they’re in exile—whether estranged from family or church traditions, marginalised by society or politics, or simply yearning for acceptance—this passage might seem like a distant comfort. Where is our promise? Where is our revival?

Yet, Ezekiel was given a role to play: speaking life into the bones and summoning the wind. What aspects of your life need to be revitalised? What “wind” needs to sweep through to bring about change? How can you invite and foster this transformation today?

Reflection Questions:

What feels lifeless in you that could benefit from a revitalising touch?
In what areas do you feel exiled? What would returning from exile look and feel like?
Where are the places in your life where you sense a call for change?

Practical Exercises:
This week, nurture something—perhaps spend time with a pet, care for a plant, or read a book to a child. Offer care to something alive.
Reach out to someone who’s been struggling and offer a word of encouragement or hope that could renew their spirit.
Identify one action you can take today to begin fostering positive change in your life.

That concludes today’s devotional! I hope this message has brightened your day. If you found it meaningful, please consider sharing it to spread the positivity. Thank you for joining us today—remember to celebrate your uniqueness! Stay well and keep a positive mindset until we meet again.

Footnotes:

Source: Kearns, S., & Murphy, B. (2020). "Queers the Word" - (Adapted for reflection of The Valley of Dry Bones. Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Image Title: "Resurrection Valley" Source: Midjourney’s image generation model.

These daily devotionals are intended for personal inspiration and may be shared as needed, including via our RSS feed. Interpretations may vary, so we encourage thoughtful engagement with the content. Please attribute appropriately when sharing to maintain integrity. Please subscribe to receive updates via email. Explore archived posts from our Daily Devotional here.