Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Faith”
Our Bible verse for today: “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.” Zechariah 4:10 (NRSV)
Our thought for today: “The battle of faith is won in the small things of life.”
Zechariah was one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. He was sent by God to the people of the Jewish nation during a time when the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were in ruins. Under the leadership of the good Governor Zerubbabel the people were tasked with restoring the city and rebuilding the Temple, but the prospects of success seemed dim at best. The task was huge, and they were surrounded by enemies who wanted to deter and even destroy them.
Through a series of visions Zechariah delivered to the people a message of hope and encouragement. Part of that message involved simply being faithful to God, day-by-day, in the small stuff of life. Instead of focusing on the ultimate goal of a restored Jerusalem and a rebuilt Temple (tasks which seemed formidable and nearly impossible), Zechariah urged them to just continue being faithful in the small things. Persistent faithfulness in small things adds up to big results over the course of weeks, months, years, and a lifetime.
Richard Foster once wrote, “Frankly the battle is won or lost precisely in the trifling areas of life … It is the small fidelities that are most helpful in training the heart toward God. These thousands upon thousands of little actions of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit slowly but surely change our heart. More than any other thing the small corners of life reveal who we truly are.”
Faithfulness in small things leads to faithfulness in big things and ultimately, to the success God wants us to have.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 