Zechariah 4:6,10: “So he answered and said to me: / ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: / “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” / Says the LORD of hosts’ . . . / For who has despised the day of small things? / For these seven rejoice to see / The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. / They are the eyes of the LORD, / Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

December 15th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

God reminded His people as they were attempting to rebuild the temple and were being opposed at every turn that one of His titles is “the Lord of hosts.” This title occurs 52 times in this short book, indicating its importance. The word hosts is derived from the Hebrew tsaba which means “strength or warfare.” The way it is used here implies that God has unlimited resources available at His command. He was telling His children to be encouraged, that He was working for them, for their good. He is still the God of unlimited resources. So what do we need today? Do we need a little mercy? Of course we do, and the good news is that in Ephesians 2:4 it says that God “is rich in mercy” (italics added). Our God is so wealthy in mercy, so rich, that He has it in abundance and is more than willing to extend mercy toward you and me!

God also told His people to be careful not to detest or look down on things that seemed insignificant to them. The building of the first bridge over the Niagara River is an excellent illustration of this. The deadly falls created a difficult construction area. How were they to run cables across such treacherous water? One of the engineers brilliantly thought of flying a kite across the river to a worker on the other side, who shot the kite down and grabbed the string. He then tied a light twine to the string, and the engineer on the other side pulled it back across. They continued this system, each time tying something thicker and stronger to end of the line: twine, rope, and finally cables. But it all started with a small thing, a kite string. We are all tempted to look down on the small things of serving God in our lives, like working with babies in the nursery or visiting the elderly in a rest home. But God is saying that we are not to despise the day of small things because if we are faithful in the little things, He will add greater things. Don’t worry; God wants us to come to greater usefulness in His Kingdom even more than we do. Serve Him faithfully in the small things today, because eternity is coming quickly!

“LORD, please help us today to be successful in the small things You have given us to do.”