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Dry Bones
Have you ever felt as if your soul and even life itself had become brittle and dry, lacking fullness and abundance? I believe we all have at one time or another. That’s why I’d like you to read Ezekiel 37:1-14 with leadership in mind. Think about work environments that felt similar to this awful valley.
Now consider: Have you ever been in a situation where someone spoke life into you? Have you gone through seasons that were so long and dry that when something life-giving came around it was like breathing in new life? That is the type of impact life-giving leaders can have on the people around them. With the Lord’s help, we can breathe life into those we’ve been entrusted to lead. As this passage in Ezekiel says,
“Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophecy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 37:11–14, niv)
This prophecy of hope was given to people who were losing hope. They were as dry as bones and that’s when God breathed life. We know that God could have given life to Israel completely on His own, with no one else on hand to assist. But instead, He chose to partner with Ezekiel, asking the prophet to breathe life into the dry bones. Just as the Lord restored hope and life to Israel, He can also partner with you to restore hope and life to those around you. Your spiritual act of worship could be to lead well.
God has always chosen to love people through His people. He uses His children. He uses His leaders.
Describe a time when good leadership brought you hope.
Scripture
About this Plan
Do you lead your church, your family, or your employees from who you want to be—or from who you really are? Life-giving leaders lead from their best selves so that they can bring out the best in others. Life-giving leaders partner with God to breathe life into individuals, ministries, and corporations. Life-giving leaders recognize that they have great influence on the faith of others. Discover the importance of identity-based leadership in this five-day devotional.
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