Dry Bones
Sweet sister, if you're here with me, I pray my words would speak God's truth and life into this place, as God has so patiently and lovingly done for me lately. This is the valley of dry bones.
If you aren't familiar with the story, you'll find it in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37. Here's the jist; Ezekiel finds a valley full of some bones (#creepy) and God is like "Yo Ezekiel, prophesy over these bad boys and tell them to come to life, tell them I will cause them to breathe, and they shall live". Ezekiel is probably thinking "weird, but iiight" and so he does what God said and guess what? The bones came to life. WOAH.
God goes on to tell Ezekiel that these bones are "the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off." I don't know about you, but I have definitely been in that place before, in fact, I'm there right now; but here is the beautiful truth that God has been reminding me of over and over again lately, nothing is too far gone for Him, He loves me, He has a plan for me, and for you, and He isn't done yet, because He is my LIVING hope, my eternal hope, the Giver of hope itself. Listen to what God says next:
"Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord" (Ezekiel 37:12-14)
There are SO many of God's promises and reminders of His faithfulness in these two, tiny verses that I need to cling to and stand upon, especially when I am in the valley.
The first is that God says that He himself will revive us! He will place His own Spirit within us and bring us back to life! Umm I don't know about you, but that's amazing! God, literally lives within us, and that gives me so much peace because it takes the pressure to have to be strong enough, because in my weaknesses, He is strong. When I realize that it's not about what I can do, it's about what God can do through me, then I can walk confidently in His strength, and not my own. I can walk assured in His love, acceptance, and forgiveness and not be defined by the people or things of this world. I can walk boldly into fear, because I know my God goes before me. Friends, we don't have to bring ourselves up out of the pit all on our own, God gives us His strength and His Spirit within us, He breathes His new life into the driest, most scorched places of our hearts and our lives and gives fresh strength that only He can give.
Next, God says that He, Himself, will "place you in your own land"
This speaks so deeply to my heart, as God reminds me that, He's got this. Even when my heart is filled with anxiousness over not knowing all the pieces, or what lies up ahead, I can choose instead to rest in the truth that even though I might not be able to see it all yet, God can, and He's going to make sure I get there, His purposes are going to be accomplished regardless of my mistakes, setbacks, or failures. He's got a "land" that's just for me, a plan that's just for me, and He's got one for you too; and even when I feel so far off the path that I can't possibly see a way back, God whispers softly to my soul, "You are never too far gone, you are never lost, I am Your God, and You are my child, I will leave the 99 to find you every single time, I love you. I am yours, and you are Mine."
God is able to save me, cleanse me, and redeem my life for His glory! He wants me to seek Him, and to know Him, and to love Him with my whole heart, and mind, and soul, and strength; because when I do, when I finally realize that I can't do it alone, that God alone is God, and that I need Him in every moment of every day, then I can rest in His good plan for me and know that every command He utters, every boundary He sets, and season I go through is FOR me, not against. God is in the business of bringing dead things back to life, and the life He gives is far more superior than any life I could make on my own.
Sometimes, dear friends, God allows us to be in the "valley of dry bones" so that we can be reminded, that He, and only He can bring us back to life. And when I remember that, I don't want to just turn to back towards God, I want to throw my bags down and SPRINT into His arms of mercy and grace, unending love and forgiveness, where He meets me with open arms and says "I have been here all along my child, I just wanted you to come to me, you don't have to do this alone. I love you, I always have and I always will. Let's do this together."
So, friends, let's throw down our heavy bags. Bags of shame, regret, fear, sin, and pride. And let's run, sprinting, into the arms of the Father. He's waiting, and He loves you. He has new strength to give, new dreams to speak, new hope to give. Will you rest in His presence today and let Him remind you that you are His beloved child? When we rest at His feet, in His presence, in prayer, in His word; when we make space for God to do what only He can do, then He can breathe His new life into us and lead us in the purposes that He has for us and through us for His glory.
He is faithful, He has spoken, and He will do it.
All my love,
Nicole <3