Monday, March 23, 2026 — Old Testament Reading
Devotional Thought
Key Verse: Ezekiel 37:3 (NLT) — Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”
There are places in life that don’t feel dramatic anymore. They feel… quiet. Not painful in an obvious way. Not broken in a way that demands attention. Just empty. Like something that used to have life… but doesn’t anymore.
A relationship that slowly faded.
A passion that quietly disappeared.
A part of your faith that no longer feels alive.
That’s the kind of place Ezekiel is brought into. A valley full of bones.
Not recently lost life. Long gone life.
And then God asks a strange question: “Can these bones live?”
Not, why did this happen?
Not, how did it get this way?
But: Is life still possible here?
Ezekiel doesn’t give a confident answer. He simply says:
“Lord, You alone know.”
And maybe that’s where hope begins. Not in having answers—but in being willing to believe that God might still speak into what we’ve given up on.
Going Deeper
Scripture Reading
Ezekiel 37:1–14 (NLT) — 1 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” 4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” 7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ ” 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’ ”
Historical Context
Ezekiel prophesies during the Babylonian exile. This was a time when Israel had experienced devastating loss — their land, their temple, and their sense of identity.
The image of dry bones symbolizes a people who felt completely cut off, without future or hope. From a human perspective, restoration seemed impossible.
This vision speaks directly into that despair.
Literary Context
Ezekiel 37 is a prophetic vision. God brings the prophet into a valley of dry bones. He invites him to speak God’s word over them.
The passage unfolds in stages:
- The bones come together
- Flesh forms
- Breath enters
It’s a picture of gradual restoration — movement from death to life through the power of God’s word and Spirit.
Theological Context
This passage reveals God as the one who brings life out of death.
Life is not generated by human effort.
It is spoken into existence by God.
The “breath” (or Spirit) of God is what ultimately animates what was lifeless.
This points forward to a larger biblical theme:
God restores what is beyond human repair.
Key Insights
- God meets us in places we have already given up on.
- Restoration often begins with God’s question, not our certainty.
- God’s word has creative power—it brings life where there is none.
- Renewal is often a process, not an instant event.
- The Spirit of God is the source of true life.
Looking In the Mirror
- What in your life feels like a “valley of dry bones”?
- Where have you quietly stopped expecting anything to change?
- What would it look like to bring that place before God again?
Guided Prayer
Take a slow breath.
Bring to mind a place in your life that feels dry or lifeless.
“God… You see this place.”
(brief silence)
“I’ve stopped expecting life here.”
(brief silence)
“Can these bones live?”
Pause.
“Lord… You alone know.”
(brief silence)
“Speak into this place.”
(brief silence)
“I am listening.”
Rest quietly for a moment.
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