Ezekiel 37:1-14

“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.”’” vs. 11

From Israel’s perspective, hunkered down in captivity in Babylon, the future was pretty dismal, and Ezekiel doesn’t pull any punches. The nation had appeared to him in a vision as a valley of dry bones, a country that had completely lost its way. 

While we typically think of our relationship to God in individual terms, the Hebrew scriptures have a corporate understanding of our connection. What we do as a nation makes a difference! For some believers questions about our own country’s standing before God have been open for discussion in recent years. They have deep reservations about the future, and wonder openly whether we have lost our way. Our country has made clear that the hungry and the poor, the “least of these” according to the words of Jesus, are no longer welcome here. Those who have come here seeking asylum are being sent home.

Instead we have adopted a belligerent and aggressive attitude toward the world, flexing our muscles, and waging war against those we have labelled “bad” people. And because we are a powerful, well-armed nation there has been little resistance. And so we wonder. Have we, like Israel, lost our way? Are there dry bones in our future?

No matter what our political stance, it is something for us to pray about. These are turbulent times!

Thought for the Day: How can individuals have an impact on what our nation does?