So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. (Ezek. 37:10)

I WAS EXCITED TO HELP my grandfather restore the only remaining dining room chair from his boyhood home. He handed me a piece of wet steel wool and instructed me to remove the buildup on the chair’s joints. I was happy to take on the task, and when I had finished cleaning the grime from the joints I started to clean the chair’s legs, against the wood grain. Thankfully, Grandpa caught me about ten seconds later. “Steven, to really restore this chair we need to prepare the wood in the direction of its grain.” I then received a definitive lesson on how to discover the grain on a piece of wood and how to properly sand that wood to a smooth finish, ready to receive stain and varnish. With Grandpa’s guidance and my elbow grease, I watched something special emerge where a rundown chair had once been.

Ezekiel was well aware that something special was happening around him. Still, he needed to receive and follow God’s guidance to bring the event to fruition. His act of simple obedience resulted in a vast army coming to life where there had once only been dry bones.

To see God’s amazing results as we encounter everyday life or exceptional challenges, we need to go with the grain of His guidance.

Select one challenging life issue and submit it to God’s guidance.

Steve Wamberg is a husband, dad, writer, and pastor who loves preaching, teaching, music, coffee, and Nebraska football.

© 2017 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.