Thurs., 10/4/12 Devotion (Ezek. 37:4-5)

Today's encouragement comes from Ezekiel 37:4 & 5, where these words are found:

"Again He [God] 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: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.' " ' "

Let us behold the amazing power of the preached word (of the gospel of Christ's grace). God brings life to the valley of dry bones through the agency of His proclaimed (prophesied) word. What an odd way to get the job done. We would have expected almost anything other than this.

Today, as it has always been, there are many false and futile substi-tutes for preaching, all claiming to be able to make dry bones live. Let us not fall for any of them. Let us (rather) listen to the word of God, as it is proclaimed in the church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "He who thinks anything less than God will suffice [for satisfaction in life] does not understand the soul; and he who wants anything more than God does not understand God." --Rich-ard Alleine, in, "Heaven Opened"]