He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord Yahweh, You know.”
Ezekiel 37:3, LSB
God asked this question of Ezekiel with the full knowledge of what He was planning to show Ezekiel in this vision. When we think of the vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones, many ideas come about its meaning. God was showing Ezekiel how He planned to restore His chosen people and bring them from exile into the promised land. God restores and works within His chosen. He desires our redemption. This was a message of hope for the Israelites in exile and a message for us also. The consistent calling of God for His people is faithfulness. We cannot in our own power or through the power of study come to be faithful. It begins with passively trusting in God and giving ourselves fully over to Him in our prayer, study, worship, and living out of our callings in life. Yes, we do things actively, but it begins with God doing His work in us. Like the Valley of Dry Bones, we are being called to life by God as He seeks to restore us to Himself. We can never make ourselves good enough or righteous enough. Only God can change our hearts. The grace of God is so great that, like the Israelites, He offers forgiveness and a path to restoration even when we rebel and turn away. Once He chooses, He never lets go. God will seek to correct the errors of His chosen when there is disobedience, but His compassion and grace are so great that He can never fully turn aside. He desires for us to trust in Him and fully know His peace.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.