I confess that I have always been impressed by power and size. Maybe it comes from being one of the smallest on my high school football and basketball teams. (One advantage of living in Vietnam: among the middle aged and older men, I am one of the taller ones.) Often in football, as in much of life, the more size and power, the more advantage. I do know that studies in the USA found that taller executives on average were paid more than those who were shorter.
Large countries and large companies normally are much more impressive than smaller ones. On the international stage, the larger nations, unless very poor, tend to dominate. In business relationships, it is normally larger companies that purchase smaller companies.
God's thoughts and ways are different from ours. He regularly reminds us of this in Scripture. For example, the exiles who returned to Jerusalem failed to rebuild the Lord' House. Their priorities were selfish and they procrastinated for years until God challenged them through the prophet Haggai. They responded with obedience and got to work rebuilding the Temple.
However they were not the powerful and wealthy nation of Solomon's day. Their resources were limited as was their labour pool. In comparison to Solomon's temple what they were constructing was not about to impress anyone. God spoke words of encouragement to them, not only through Haggai but also through his contemporary, the prophet Zechariah. If you are feeling "small" or "powerless", let these timeless words encourage you today.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." 4:6 And then, "Who despises the day of small things?"4:10
That gathering in Jerusalem of 120 followers of Jesus, led by 11 apparently very average men, did not appear ready to change the world. There was no military power, no power of wealth or position. They were not impressive - until the Spirit came!
God's Spirit still moves, often through "small"people, "small" groups and "small" churches that appear unimpressive; yet in God's power they accomplish great things.
As an old chorus puts it "Little is much, when God is in it."So keep making your "little" available to God.
Large countries and large companies normally are much more impressive than smaller ones. On the international stage, the larger nations, unless very poor, tend to dominate. In business relationships, it is normally larger companies that purchase smaller companies.
God's thoughts and ways are different from ours. He regularly reminds us of this in Scripture. For example, the exiles who returned to Jerusalem failed to rebuild the Lord' House. Their priorities were selfish and they procrastinated for years until God challenged them through the prophet Haggai. They responded with obedience and got to work rebuilding the Temple.
However they were not the powerful and wealthy nation of Solomon's day. Their resources were limited as was their labour pool. In comparison to Solomon's temple what they were constructing was not about to impress anyone. God spoke words of encouragement to them, not only through Haggai but also through his contemporary, the prophet Zechariah. If you are feeling "small" or "powerless", let these timeless words encourage you today.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." 4:6 And then, "Who despises the day of small things?"4:10
That gathering in Jerusalem of 120 followers of Jesus, led by 11 apparently very average men, did not appear ready to change the world. There was no military power, no power of wealth or position. They were not impressive - until the Spirit came!
God's Spirit still moves, often through "small"people, "small" groups and "small" churches that appear unimpressive; yet in God's power they accomplish great things.
As an old chorus puts it "Little is much, when God is in it."So keep making your "little" available to God.
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