Dry Bones

The only bone in the human body not connected to another is the hyoid, a U-shaped bone located at the base of the tongue. I am always awed when I study the human body and how God constructed us. Even the skeletal system teaches us about the Creator, who lovingly put us together with this internal frame so that we wouldn’t be just a blob on the floor! We have 206 bones in our body; the thighbone is the largest and strongest, while the stapes (in the middle ear) is the smallest and lightest. Interestingly, this tiny bone is the only one that is fully grown at birth.

Bones not only hold our bodies upright and in place, but they allow different parts to move around. They also protect organs from being easily hurt. God created bones to be strong; in fact, a human bone is as strong as granite in supporting weight! One scientist determined that a block of bone the size of a matchbox can support nine tons.

Your skeletal system isn’t just there to keep you sitting up straight in church. Inside your bones is a factory working to create blood cells. Even though this internal structure is strong, bones are very light. They are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and other minerals.

When you think about bones, you might first picture a dry skeleton hanging on a stand in biology class. Actually, bones are not a bunch of dry sticks—they’re about 75 percent water. That means when Solomon says, “A broken spirit dries the bones,” we should sit up and pay attention. Dry bones are indicators of really poor health.

Most people think the greatest impact on their health starts in their mouth with what they eat. That’s certainly important, but we shouldn’t overlook the connection between how we think and our health. The state of your mind impacts your health far more than you might realize. Many diseases begin not with the food on your plate, but with the grief or anxiety in your heart. It’s not just what you’re eating; it’s what’s eating you.

So put a genuine smile on your face. Ask God to give you a peaceful heart that is content and looks for the cheerful flowers on life’s pathway. When you do this, your bones will thank you. Lord, I choose to be joyful. I make the decision to set aside gloom and will practice having love, courage, and sympathy in my heart.

Additional reading: Proverbs 17:15–28

Key Bible Texts

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 KJV)