July 18 Hope Raised

Ezekiel 37:11-14 Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, 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. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, 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."

THERE is no place as unrelenting as the grave. Once you are in the grave, return is impossible. Hope for life is gone. You have no opportunities to fulfill your desires, to have one more conversation with a loved one or to complete a mission God has given to you. The grave is final, without hope, unless some magnificent miracle occurs.

    As a Christian, then, are you not overwhelmed with joy that the magnificent miracle has occurred! In Jesus' resurrection and his promise of eternal life, we thank God we have the hope confessed by the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 

    The image in the Valley of Dry Bones is that one of complete destruction. During the Jews exile to Babylon, their hope would have been as dried up and lifeless as those dry bones. But in his love and mercy, God offered a magnificent miracle. He promised to resurrect their hope. He spoke to them a new "born again" life message to his people.

    Would not his promise then ignite a spark of hope? Would that spark glow with anticipation for the Jews that one day they would again inhabit the Promised Land? With hope alive, they could endure their exile. They could seek God's teaching to prepare for the day of their return to Judah and Jerusalem.

    Do you feel exiled from God, from his hope? Then know the Father has come through in Jesus and through his Spirit to ignite hope into your life. Focus on the gospel message! Rejoice that through Jesus, the grave is not final. Live in the joyful hope of the Spirit's true teachings. Cast aside all doubts. Turn away from all distractions. Let go of the temporary. Turn your eyes to the eternal. Know in your soul that God has promised and has prepared an eternal Promised Land for you.

    Believe in Jesus' resurrection power: John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

    Know the hope of your salvation. It is God's life gift to you.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, I trust Jesus' resurrection for my eternal life. Holy Spirit, enliven my heart to Jesus. Thank you for the hope you have raised in my heart today. Amen.