The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."

I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord."

What a picture is portrayed in this passage! A man surrounded by dry bones, no life, no breath. How can they live? Where is their hope? The Spirit of the Lord commanded that breath would enter these bones and they would live. Hope is not lost; the bones will be restored; the Spirit of the Lord will be upon them!

As we move through the dreariness and darkness of winter, the seeming lifelessness of plants, trees, and shrubs…where is the life? Where is the hope?

As winter ends and the ground warms, we can begin to see a small crocus or snow flower pushing up out of the ground - renewal and restoration.

As we begin the work of spring, clearing the ground, planting and sowing, we can feel the warmth of the sun - renewal and restoration.

As we move through the Lenten season, we contemplate our obedience to the Lord's Word, as he prepares us for the coming salvation through his death on the cross - renewal and restoration.