September 11, 2026 Devo

September 11th, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” – Ezekiel 37:4-6 (NIV)
“The Most Important Step”

People often say in recovery that “the first step is the hardest.” And that’s probably true. Your life doesn’t change until you come to a place where you can admit that it needs to change. That’s why the first step in the recovery process says, “I admit that I am powerless over my addiction—that my life has become unmanageable.” It takes a broken and humbled person to say that.
Though the first step may be the hardest, I think the second step is the most important. “I’ve come to believe that a power greater than myself can restore my life to sanity.” You see, it’s one thing to admit you’re a mess. It’s another thing altogether to realize that YOU are not enough to fix your mess!
This is really important. Many people, when they hit bottom or crash and burn in their life, make the mistake of believing that THEY are going to fix what they’ve broken. They determine they can “will” their way out of it, or “manifest” a different life. Some decide they’re just going to “try harder.” That kind of thinking simply leads us right back to where we are. It’s believing we have the ability to manage our lives on our own that took us down that destructive path in the first place! Read that last sentence again. Twice.
Take another look at our passage today as God gives Ezekiel the formula for making those dry bones live. Notice how many times the Lord says, “I will.” Not “You will.” Ezekiel can’t breathe life into those bones no matter how hard he tries. Only the Author of Life can make living that which is dead. Trying to fix our lives on our own is the insanity of trying the same wrong thing and expecting different results. We don’t need more “us.” We need the Lord.
There is a Higher Power who stands ready to help you. His name is Jesus. He has come that you might have a full and abundant life. He can do what you cannot do. He can break the chains that enslave you. He can heal the deepest wounds within you. He can breathe into you a New Life, a New Strength, and a New Spirit. If you’re ready to admit your life is a mess, good for you! That’s the hardest part. Just remember the second step is the most important. Your Higher Power stands with open arms, ready to help. That’s God’s Word for you today.