Dear Children of God,

There’re good days and bad days. However, with everything hitting us today, many of us might be having “when is it going to get better” days. With wars and rumors of wars, craziness in DC, and the price of gas and everything else on the rise…hopefully you’re not thinking, “My bones are dried up, and my hope is lost.” Please know, hope is not lost!

The people of Israel were crying out, “Our bones are dried up; and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off,” (Ezekiel 37:11) They had lost everything and seen their king’s sons put to death, his eyes put out, and dragged off in chains with them into exile in Babylon while the temple in Jerusalem was looted and burned to the ground. (2 Kings 25) The people God had formed from Abram, rescued from Egypt, led into the Promised Land were now dried up…scattered…far from God. Why? Because they departed from God, calling instead on the gods of the world to guide them. They truly were dead. Separated from God.

They left God, but God never left them. As dried out and dead as they felt, God kept seeking after them. To reassure them of His love and care. Calling them to return to Him. Through His prophet Ezekiel, God said, “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” (Ezekiel 37:5) And by His Word, God restored Israel’s bones, enabling them to survive. He brought them back to the land of Israel. 

God offers the same to us today. When we feel that sin – ours and other’s – has left us dried out, dead, and too far gone for God to restore us, He comes to us in His Word. Breathing new life into us. Forgiving us. Strengthening us to endure. All to bring us out of exile and put us back on the path to the true Promised Land. Hope is never lost! Turn to God and let Him fill you again with the breath of His life through His Word. 

                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim