Small Beginnings 微小的开端

[Dexu Xia]

Who dares despise the day of small things, since [God’s] eyes . . . will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel? Zechariah 4:10

Today's Scripture Zechariah 4:1-10

Today's Insights   God is in the business of using small things to accomplish His purposes. He used a shepherd boy and a stone to slay a giant (1 Samuel 17:49-50). He used a boy’s five small barley loaves and two small fish to feed five thousand men (John 6:9). Jesus was born as a helpless baby into a poor man’s family to save the world from sin (Luke 2:7; John 3:16). He said to Zechariah, “[Do not] despise the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10). God delights in using ordinary people like us to do great things for Him even when our tasks may seem insignificant

Today's Devotional   In 1848, engineer Charles Ellet Jr. puzzled over how to begin the process of constructing the first bridge over the Niagara Falls gorge. How would they get a cable across the river? Prompted by a dream, Charles decided to host a kite-flying contest. American teenager Homan Walsh won five dollars when his kite landed on the American side of the river. Homan’s kite string was secured to a tree and used to pull a light cord back across the river, then progressively heavier cords until heavy wire cable was in place. This was the small beginning of the construction of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.

The bridge’s challenges and inauspicious beginnings mirror those faced by those working to rebuild God’s temple after returning from captivity in Babylon. An angel awakened the prophet Zechariah with a message that nothing would thwart God’s work—it would all be accomplished “by [his] Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). Some of those who’d seen the temple in its previous glory were fearful that the rebuilt version would pale in comparison (Ezra 3:12). The angel encouraged Zechariah that they shouldn’t “despise the day of small things” because God would “rejoice” in seeing the work begun (Zechariah 4:10).

Even though the tasks God has appointed to us may seem insignificant, we can be encouraged knowing He uses small things—like kite strings—to accomplish His great works.

Reflect & Pray

How does it encourage you to know that God’s works often start small? How might you trust His faithfulness?

Dear Father, thank You for being faithful to Your plans. By Kirsten Holmberg

谁藐视这日的事为小呢？这七眼乃是耶和华的眼睛，遍察全地，见所罗巴伯手拿线铊就欢喜。（撒迦利亚书 4:10）

今日经文：撒迦利亚书 4章1-10 节

今日感悟：上帝乐于使用微小的事物来成就祂的旨意。祂使用一个牧童和一块石头杀死巨人（撒母耳记上17:49-50）。祂使用一个男孩的五个大麦饼和两条小鱼喂饱了五千人（约翰福音 6:9）。耶稣以一个无助的婴儿的身份降生在一个贫穷的家庭来拯救世界脱离罪恶（路加福音 2:7；约翰福音 3:16）。祂对撒迦利亚说：“不要藐视微小的事”（撒迦利亚书4:10）。上帝乐于使用像我们这样的普通人来为祂成就伟大的事，即使我们的任务看起来微不足道。

今日灵修：1848 年，工程师查尔斯·埃利特二世苦思冥想如何开始建造横跨尼亚加拉大瀑布峡谷的第一座桥梁。他们如何才能将缆绳拉过河呢？受一个梦的启发，查尔斯决定举办一场放风筝比赛。美国少年霍曼·沃尔什的风筝落在河的美国一侧，赢得了五美元奖金。霍曼的风筝线被固定在一棵树上，用来将一根轻绳拉过河，然后逐渐拉过更重的绳索，直到最终拉过沉重的钢缆。这就是尼亚加拉大瀑布吊桥建造的微小开端。

  这座桥梁所面临的挑战和并不顺利的开端，与那些从巴比伦被掳归来后重建上帝圣殿的人所面临的挑战如出一辙。一位天使唤醒了先知撒迦利亚，向他传达了一个信息：没有什么能够阻碍上帝的工作，一切都将“靠着我的灵”成就（撒迦利亚书 4:6）。一些见过圣殿昔日辉煌的人担心重建后的圣殿会相形见绌（以斯拉记 3:12）。天使鼓励撒迦利亚不要“藐视这微小的事”，因为上帝会因着看到工作的开始而“欢喜”（撒迦利亚书 4:10）。

即使上帝赐予我们的任务看起来微不足道，我们也可以从中得到鼓励，因为我们知道祂会使用微小的事物，比如风筝线，来成就祂伟大的工作。

反思与祷告 知道上帝的工作常常始于微小之事，这会如何激励你？你如何才能信靠上帝的信实？ 亲爱的天父，感谢您信守您的计划。

作者：Kirsten Holmberg