by Sis. Elaine Medina
Reading for the Day: Ezekiel 37:1-10
On this day, May 5, cities across North America erupt with celebration. Cinco de Mayo is marked by festive parades, lively music, and the gathering of families and friends. Contrary to popular belief, the celebration isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day. It actually commemorates the Battle of Puebla, where a small, under-equipped Mexican force overpowered the French army. It’s more than a historical moment—it’s a celebration of resilience, identity, and unexpected triumph.
This image of unexpected victory reminds me of another scene, not that of a battlefield, but of a valley filled with bones. God gave a vision to the prophet Ezekiel, where the Spirit of the Lord led him into a desolate valley, filled with dry, lifeless remains. It wasn’t enough for him to see it. God led him to walk through it, back and forth as though to witness it up close (Ezekiel 37:2).
Then God spoke, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
Then God spoke, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
Ezekiel responds with humility: “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” And it is then that God does something amazing. He commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones to come to life! As Ezekiel looks past his own doubts and limitations, he obeys God’s command, and at his prophecy, the bones begin to shift. Form returns. Breath enters. The dry bones were brought back to life, not as non-descript figures but the bible says, they stood up as a vast army. (Ezekiel 37:10).
The dry bones were brought back to life, not as non-descript figures but the bible says, they stood up as a vast army.
Today, it’s easy to look at the world around us and feel like we’re standing in our own valley of bones or a place of spiritual dryness. In our own nation, Canada is often described as secular. Church attendance continues to decline, and faith is treated as a relic of the past. But the same God who spoke to Ezekiel still speaks today and He speaks through the ones He has sent.
The same God who spoke to Ezekiel still speaks today and He speaks through the ones He has sent.
We are now less than a month away from the Home Free Global Crusade here in Canada. Every prayer lifted, every moment of fasting, every invitation extended—these are not just acts of preparation, they are a present-day echo of God’s command: “Prophesy to these bones.” Our boldness doesn’t come from ourselves, but because God told us to speak. We declare the gospel not with human confidence, but with obedience, believing that His Word still carries the power to bring the dead to life.
We declare the gospel not with human confidence, but with obedience, believing that His Word still carries the power to bring the dead to life.
So on this day, as many commemorate an unexpected victory in history—a day that reminds us that triumph can come from the overlooked and outnumbered – we too can move forward with confidence. Because we recognize that the valleys of our lives are not where our story ends. But through Christ, it is where resurrection begins.
Reflection: Have you experienced moments when God lifted you out of spiritual dryness and emptiness? As part of His army, how can you more boldly declare the gospel today?
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