"Do Not Despise The Day Of Small Beginnings.”

SCRIPTURAL REFERENECES

(Zechariah 4:10) "For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."

(Luke 16:10) He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

(Matthew13:31-32) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:” 32 “Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”

PREFACE SUMMARY

As the Lord placed this message in my heart, my mind wandered in many directions. I thought about the Prophet Elijah, a man of God whom the Holy Bible declares to be upright and passionate like you and me (James 5:17). He prayed that it would not rain, and God honored his prayer, shutting up the heavens for three years and six months.

After defeating the false prophets of Jezebel on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:43-45), the text speaks of the prophet Elijah going to a place with his servant overlooking the sea and praying for rain. He sent his servant to look toward the sea six times, and he reported no visible sign of rain. When he sent him the seventh time, the servant reported back to the prophet that he saw a small cloud emerging from the sea, about the size of a man's hand.

Upon receiving this report from his servant, the prophet Elijah promptly advised the King to descend from the mountain swiftly because there would be an abundance of rain. The word of God declares that Elijah outran the King's horses off the mountain.

If we look at (1 Kings 18:43-45) spiritually, the sea could be a metaphor for the world. At the same time, the small cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, represents Elijah as the hand of God in a heathen world. Elijah's presence, represented by the little cloud about the size of a man’s hand, was used by God to bring about change in the world and to act as a catalyst or vessel for God's purpose.

Notice that as the small cloud grows, it gradually transforms into a black cloud, symbolizing the power of God's grace at work through people who acknowledge and understand God's purpose in their lives. These people become agents of change, recognizing the purpose that drives the vision they feel is always out of reach and is, in fact, closer to reality.

"Do Not Despise the Day of Small Beginnings"—reminds me of the phrase, "Little is much when God is in it." Both phrases remind us that even our small acts of service and kindness, when touched by God's power, can have a far-reaching impact on those around us.

The phrase, “Little is much when God is in it,” reminds me of Jesus feeding a large crowd of five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish, as recounted in John 6:1-14. This story is a vivid illustration of God's divine power and provision, revealing how a small offering can be multiplied abundantly through grace, providing nourishment for many.

I often find myself pondering the role of the boy's mother in this miraculous event. I imagine her preparing his lunch to nourish him on his journey to hear Jesus speak, and I wonder what it would have been like if unforeseen circumstances had prevented her from going with him to see Jesus.

Can you imagine the mixed emotions on her face when she asks her son if he ate his lunch, and the boy responds, "Yes, dear mother, I enjoyed my lunch alongside five thousand others, and the disciples of Jesus gathered twelve baskets of leftovers to distribute to those in need?

This miraculous event, a demonstration of the incredible power of God's provision, richly illustrates how God can miraculously turn hopeless situations into an abundant supply for His people, reaffirming their faith in His unwavering and all-encompassing providence.

In summary, God's awesome, compassionate, and endless power enables Him to take what may seem like limited and insufficient resources and miraculously turn them into abundant and generous provision for His people.

"EMBRACING SMALL BEGINNINGS."

Living in a society that frequently celebrates fast-tracked, right-now microwave gratification, embracing small, shallow starts may seem useless. However, it's essential to acknowledge that this journey is not always easy, and there may be times when you feel like your progress is too slow, meaningless, or insignificant.