Breath in the Valley
- Aisha Cox
- Mar 22
- 5 min read
A Reflection for The Fifth Sunday of Lent by Aisha Cox
Lectionary reading for 03/22/2026: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45
Selected passage for reflection: Ezekiel 37:1-14
Read
Ezekiel 37:1-14 NLT
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!’”
Reflect
If you have ever taken a CPR or first aid class, you know one of the first things you are taught is the importance of breath.
I remember learning this firsthand in high school, when I took an elective class on first aid and CPR. We practiced the steps on training mannequins, checking for breathing, giving chest compressions, and learning how to push air back into the lungs. The instructor emphasized something that has stayed with me. When someone stops breathing, every second matters. The body may still be there, but without breath, life cannot continue.
Breath is essential. Without it, everything stops.
That is what makes the vision in Ezekiel 37 so striking.
In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel is led by the Spirit of God into a valley filled with bones. Not just bones, but bones that are described as very dry. They are scattered across the valley floor, lifeless and disconnected. It is a scene that looks like the end of the story. For the people of Israel in exile, it certainly felt that way. Their hope had dried up, their future felt uncertain, and their identity as God’s people seemed shattered.
Standing in that valley, God asks Ezekiel a surprising question.“Son of man, can these bones live?”
Ezekiel responds with humility.“Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
Then God does something unexpected. He tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, to speak the word of the Lord into a place that appears completely beyond repair. When Ezekiel obeys, the valley erupts with sound. “There was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together.” (v.7)
What once lay scattered begins to move. Bones reconnect. Tendons and flesh appear. Bodies take shape. Yet something is still missing. They remain lifeless. Structure has returned, but breath has not.
So God commands Ezekiel again, this time to prophesy to the breath. The Hebrew word used here is ruach, which can mean breath, wind, or spirit. When the breath enters them, life returns, and they stand on their feet. What was once a valley of death becomes a vast army.
This vision points beyond Israel’s restoration. It foreshadows the hope we hold as we journey through Lent toward Easter. The God who breathes life into dry bones is the same God who brings life out of a sealed tomb.
Throughout the passage, God repeats a phrase. “Then you will know that I am the Lord.” The miracle makes it unmistakably clear who holds the power over life and death.
Many of us have valleys in our own lives, places that feel dry, scattered, and beyond repair. Yet this vision reminds us that no situation is too far gone for God.
When God speaks, things begin to move.When His Spirit breathes, life returns.
The same breath that filled that valley still moves today. As resurrection Sunday draws near, Ezekiel’s vision invites us to believe again. The God who restores dry bones is still the God who raises the dead.
Respond
Where in your life do you see “dry bones,” and how might God be inviting you to trust Him to breathe new life there?
Rest
Lord, just as you breathed life into the valley of dry bones, breathe your Spirit into the dry places of our lives. Give us faith to trust you in seasons that feel hopeless and courage to believe that you are still at work. Amen.
About the Author
Aisha is an authentic speaker and leader who is devoted to creating spaces where people feel seen and known by God. She preaches God’s word with boldness, vulnerability, and a deep sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Aisha is the founder and leader of Authentically Arise, a vibrant movement that creates spaces for women to grow in their faith, cultivate their gifts, and authentically arise into the women God created them to be. She’s married to her best friend Maurice, and they live in San Antonio, Texas with their two children.
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