In December, I was walking home from the store, and saw some neighbors who set up a Christmas tree on the sidewalk and were handing out gifts to children walking home from school. The crossing guards had organized it for some children who stay in a homeless shelter nearby. It was cold outside, but they asked if I wanted to join them. It was fun to give gifts to about 40 kids as they were walking home and even pray for some of them and their moms. I got to share with them how much God cares for them and each situation they are facing. This is just one example of see God’s heart for the lost in my neighborhood!

Anything is possible with God. He loves everyone and wants us to join Him in His mission to reach them. He can give us very creative ideas.

The song called Dry Bones by Lauren Daigle really touches my heart and helps me get in touch with God’s heart for the lost. I make it a regular prayer for my family members who are not walking with Jesus.

This song was inspired by Ezekiel 37:

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ 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.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

1. What can we learn about God from this story?
2. What can we learn about people from this story?
3. What should I do to obey this passage and make a change in my life?
4. Who can I share this story with?

Let’s pray for God to increase our faith as we pray for the people we know who don’t know God! Let’s use the gift of prophesy outside in the neighborhood!

2 Corinthians 5:14:  For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.