READ: Zechariah 4 (Focus vs. 1-10)
MEMORY VERSE
“Who dares despise the day of small things, since [God’s] eyes . . . will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” Zechariah 4:10
BACKGROUND
In 1848, engineer Charles Ellet Jr. puzzled over how to begin the process of constructing the first bridge over the Niagara Falls gorge. How would they get a cable across the river? Prompted by a dream, Charles decided to host a kite-flying contest.
American teenager Homan Walsh won five dollars when his kite landed on the American side of the river. Homan’s kite string was secured to a tree and used to pull a light cord back across the river, then progressively heavier cords until heavy wire cable was in place.
This was the small beginning of the construction of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.
The bridge’s challenges and inauspicious beginnings mirror those faced by those working to rebuild God’s temple after returning from captivity in Babylon.
An angel awakened the prophet Zechariah with a message that nothing would thwart God’s work—it would all be accomplished “by [his] Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). Some of those who’d seen the temple in its previous glory were fearful that the rebuilt version would pale in comparison (Ezra 3:12).
The angel encouraged Zechariah that they shouldn’t “despise the day of small things” because God would “rejoice” in seeing the work begun (Zechariah 4:10).
Even though the tasks God has appointed to us may seem insignificant, we can be encouraged knowing He uses small things—like kite strings—to accomplish His great works.
Kirsten Holmberg
INSIGHT
God is in the business of using small things to accomplish His purposes. He used a shepherd boy and a stone to slay a giant (1 Samuel 17:49-50). He used a boy’s five small barley loaves and two small fish to feed five thousand men (John 6:9).
Jesus was born as a helpless baby into a poor man’s family to save the world from sin (Luke 2:7; John 3:16). He said to Zechariah, “[Do not] despise the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10).
God delights in using ordinary people like us to do great things for Him even when our tasks may seem insignificant.
K.T. Sim
APPLICATION
How does it encourage you to know that God’s works often start small? How might you trust His faithfulness?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
“Even though the tasks God has appointed to us may seem insignificant, we can be encouraged knowing He uses small things…to accomplish His great works.”
PR’s TAKE
“Look at the mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds yet when full-grown it is larger than any herb and forms a tree so that the birds come and build in its branches.” Matthew 13:32 (Bible Hub)
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
PRAYER
“Dear Father, thank You for being faithful to Your plans.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“SMALL BEGINNINGS” Kids Praise Song
…Little faith grows big,
…We dance, sing and learn,
About God’s plans for us.
God’s plans for us may start out small,
But with His help we can do it ALL
Like a seed that grows into a tree
We’ll start small but wait and see.
Small beginnings, big outcomes
God’s power makes them come about
