In our Bible study yesterday, we learned from James 3 that "no one can tame the tongue" (verse 7). It is true that, on our own, we cannot fully control our tongues or only speak words that honor God. This thought can feel weighty and discouraging. It can leave us feeling hopeless. The good news, however, is that we are not left alone in this endeavor, and God can make the impossible possible. He can help us in our efforts to control our tongues. God can work in us in ways we could never imagine, including helping us to control our tongues.
Ezekiel 37 reveals God's power to restore anything and bring anything back to life that was once considered dead and hopeless. In this chapter, the Israelites were facing a difficult time. They had rebelled against God and, as a result, had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Many of the Israelites had been taken to captivity in Babylon. Despite these circumstances, God offered hope to the Israelites through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel shared a vision from God to the Israelites in Ezekiel 37. He told the Israelites that God gave him a vision and took him to a "valley filled with bones" (verse 1). God said to Ezekiel, "Can these bones become living people again?" (verse 3). Ezekiel responded to God, "You alone know the answer to that" (verse 3). In response, God told him to speak to the dry bones and speak words of life over the bones (verses 4-6). As he spoke, these bones came to life and formed "a great army" (verse 10). These bones represented the Israelites who were saying, "All hope is gone" as a result of their captivity (verse 11). God promised the Israelites that all hope was not gone. He said to them through the prophet Ezekiel, "I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land" (verse 14). God was going to restore Israel. He alone has the power to restore what is lost.
Maybe you have felt defeated by the truth that "no one can tame the tongue." Maybe you have said things you regret far too often, and you feel stuck, thinking you will always be this way. There is hope, my friend. God can redeem and restore anything. He can work in your life to help you guard your words carefully. Turn to Him today.
Write a prayer of thanksgiving to God today. Thank Him for being a God who restores and redeems. Thank Him for making the impossible possible. Thank Him that although you cannot tame your tongue on your own, He can work in your life and help you accomplish this task.
The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”
4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ ”
10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’ ”
