Song # 939.1 from Our Gospel In Song Collection by Col Johnston. The Book of Ezekiel in chapter 37 tells us of the Valley of Dry Bones.
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley, it was full of bones (Ezekiel 37:1). He led me to and fro among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry (Ezekiel 37:2). He asked me “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said “Oh Sovereign Lord, you alone know” (Ezekiel 37:3). Then He said to me “Prophesy to these bones and say to them ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! (Ezekiel 37:4). This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones, I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life (Ezekiel 37:5). I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin, I will put breath in you, and you will come to like. Then you will know that I am the Lord’ ” (Ezekiel 37:6). So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone (Ezekiel 37:7). I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them (Ezekiel 37:8). Then He said to me “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to it ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says. Come from the four winds, oh breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live’ ” (Ezekiel 37:9). So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath entered them, they came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast army (Ezekiel 37:10). Then He said to me “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:11). “I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, I will bring you back to the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:12). “Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord (Ezekiel 37:13). “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land” (Ezekiel 37:14).
Thought for today: on your own, life is a hopeless end. With God, it’s an endless hope.
Thought for the future: the more we look to heaven, the less we need on earth. Where will you spend your eternity?