One principle that we all understand well is that small things are often extremely
important. In the Olympics to win the
gold it’s not necessary to win by a wide margin over one’s opponents. All the hard work, pain and sacrifice in preparation
for the contest may come down to a one hundredth of a second advantage to win
the title of champion.
From science we know that the submicroscopic atom is
the fundamental building block of the universe and that from a single cell a
human being develops. Even a child knows
that the mighty oak tree grows from a small acorn. It seems that God has designed creation with
abundant examples to make a strong statement about His attention to small
things.
Yet, in my long-term recovery that truth sometimes has not carried over from my mind to my emotions. I well remember being discouraged and wondering if I would ever be able to eat normally again after failing the swallow test for the third time. But I was convicted in my heart to be thankful for the small steps of progress the medical staff assured me I was making. Because of that experience I have learned to be grateful for the ability to eat and enjoy the taste of food again, something that I always had taken so easily for granted before.
When I turn to the Scriptures, I see the principle of small things even more clearly evident in God’s order. From the choice of His disciples to His teaching about faith Jesus used the small and the weak things from the world’s point of view. He taught us to trust Him as a child trusts his parents, to have faith like a mustard seed and to choose the place of lowest honor to sit when invited as a guest to a party.
Then there was a parable that Jesus told about a wealthy nobleman giving out sums of money to his employees to put to work for him. Those who were faithful and earned a return he greatly rewarded by making them rulers over cities because they had been faithful with very little.
In God’s economy, then, I’ve come to understand that little is often best for me right now because it keeps me from thinking I’m OK on my own and failing to come to Him in trust for my “daily bread”.
Perhaps you are struggling with little progress in some area of life: health, finances, relationships, job, etc. I encourage you to go to the Lord in trust. It is often in life situations where we seem to have little to work with that He has chosen ultimately to reward us greatly if we remain faithful to Him using what He has given us.
Yet, in my long-term recovery that truth sometimes has not carried over from my mind to my emotions. I well remember being discouraged and wondering if I would ever be able to eat normally again after failing the swallow test for the third time. But I was convicted in my heart to be thankful for the small steps of progress the medical staff assured me I was making. Because of that experience I have learned to be grateful for the ability to eat and enjoy the taste of food again, something that I always had taken so easily for granted before.
When I turn to the Scriptures, I see the principle of small things even more clearly evident in God’s order. From the choice of His disciples to His teaching about faith Jesus used the small and the weak things from the world’s point of view. He taught us to trust Him as a child trusts his parents, to have faith like a mustard seed and to choose the place of lowest honor to sit when invited as a guest to a party.
Then there was a parable that Jesus told about a wealthy nobleman giving out sums of money to his employees to put to work for him. Those who were faithful and earned a return he greatly rewarded by making them rulers over cities because they had been faithful with very little.
In God’s economy, then, I’ve come to understand that little is often best for me right now because it keeps me from thinking I’m OK on my own and failing to come to Him in trust for my “daily bread”.
Perhaps you are struggling with little progress in some area of life: health, finances, relationships, job, etc. I encourage you to go to the Lord in trust. It is often in life situations where we seem to have little to work with that He has chosen ultimately to reward us greatly if we remain faithful to Him using what He has given us.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of Hosts…”for who has despised the day of small things?” -- Zechariah 4: 6b, 10a
Good word, Hu!
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