Suggested reading: Haggai chapter 2 verses 1-9.

If you have been able to join us for some of our recent meditations, you will have considered some of the small things in the Bible that speak to us of Christ. We have meditated on:

• the SMALL round thing (the bread) that came down from heaven
• the sweet spices beaten VERY SMALL
• a still SMALL voice

We will conclude our thoughts on these things by considering something that appeared in many people’s eyes to be small but, in reality, was not! After returning from 70 years of exile in Babylon, many of the children of Israel began to return to the city of Jerusalem to rebuild the city and its Temple. They were in ruins and required a great deal of effort to restore them to their former glory. As is often the case in such circumstances, the work of restoration began amidst great hope and enthusiasm; however, disappointment and despondency soon crept in, as the builders lost sight of the greatness of the work that they were involved in. They made the mistake of becoming preoccupied with the former glories of the past and they began to despise what they had achieved as if it were nothing. Not surprisingly they stopped rebuilding and it was left to the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah to rekindle their spirits.

God spoke through Zechariah and said, “For who has despised the day of SMALL THINGS?” Zechariah chapter 4 verse 10. He was not implying, of course, that it was ‘a day of small things’ – it was so, in the eyes of the people but not His eyes.

Any work that we are involved in for God should never be despised or considered to be SMALL, unimportant and insignificant. We should never allow past achievements to overshadow present. All that is asked of us is to do for God what we can, with what we have and He will honour it! Never consider His work to be SMALL. Join Nehemiah and say, ‘I am doing a great work!’ Nehemiah chapter 6 verse 3.