Breathe New Life
This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. Ezekiel 37:5
I have been a fan of many of the HGTV renovation shows over the years. You know, the ones where an outdated house is renovated or a completely dilapidated, abandoned one is rebuilt and restored. In each of these cases, new breath is breathed into these properties, giving them a new look and new purpose.
I occasionally watch videos of individuals restoring and repurposing old furniture, as well as lawn crews cleaning up overgrown yards. Those restoring old furniture either buy an old piece for a low cost or get it at no cost and then go through a complete refurbishment. Paint or stain is removed. Damaged wood is repaired. Hardware is removed. The piece is sanded. Then, new paint or stain is applied along with handles or knobs. New life is breathed into a piece of furniture that probably would have been discarded or thrown away. The furniture has been transformed.
In the lawn care videos, workers seek out overgrown yards to clean up at no cost to the owner. Usually, the owners of these properties are unable to take care of their own yard. Shrubs and trees are trimmed or removed. Grass is mowed and weed-eaten. Sidewalks and driveways are cleared and edged. Afterward, the yard looks completely different, manicured and well-kept. It transforms the look of the house.
Turn to Ezekiel 37 and read verses 1-14. In this fascinating passage, the prophet Ezekiel was shown a vision of a valley full of dry, dead bones. The bones represented the dead spiritual state of the people of Israel. Because of their repeated disobedience and idolatry, the Israelites were defeated by the Babylonians, exiled, and held in captivity. God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones. As he did, he heard a rattling sound and the bones miraculously came to life, becoming skeletons and covered with flesh. As he commanded the breath to enter the bodies, they were transformed into a vast, living army.
The vision represented a promise from God to restore the Israelites. They felt spiritually dead, hopeless, and cut off during their captivity in Babylon. God would bring them back to their land from exile, revitalizing them both spiritually and nationally. This vision is a demonstration of God’s power to bring life out of death and restore His people.
Fast forward to the New Testament. According to John 3:16, God brought complete restoration and redemption to mankind by sending Jesus, who took on our sin and restored our broken relationship with God. When we accept Christ, we have new life breathed into us by the Holy Spirit.
Even if we have decided to follow Jesus, we still may have areas of life that we have ignored far too long or given up on. Relationships. Career. Finances. Goals. Maybe even our faith. Can you relate? If that is you, keep this thought in mind: what looks dead in your life is not beyond God’s resurrection power. He still breathes. He still restores. He still raises dry bones. Ezekiel’s vision reminds us: God is not intimidated by our dead places. In fact, those are the very places He wants to breathe into. Will you turn those areas over to HIm and allow HIm to breathe?
Call to Action
Take a moment to identify those areas of your life that are dry, stagnant, or dead, that God might want to breathe life and restoration. Turn them over to Him.
Do you trust that God can bring life out of these situations that you just identified? Why or why not?
What would it take for you to trust that no situation is too far gone for God to redeem?
Digging Deeper
To complete the 3-step progression from Ezekiel 37, where God restores what is dead, read these verses: Ephesians 2:1-6 (God makes us alive through Christ) and Romans 8:11 (the Spirit continues to give life and power). Read these verses on the breath of God: Genesis 2:7, Job 33:4, Psalm 104:29-30, Isaiah 42:5, John 20:21-22, Acts 17:24-25.
Prayer
Lord, you see the dry places in my life—the places I’ve given up on. Breathe into me again. Restore what’s been lost. Revive what’s been lifeless. I believe you can bring dead things back to life. I surrender my heart to your Spirit. Breathe new life into me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Kyle Cravens