Zechariah 4:8-10
His hands shall finish it: When the work is done by God’s Spirit there are not only resources to begin the work, but also to finish the work. God is a finisher (Philippians 1:6).
b. For who has despised the day of small things? Zechariah’s question rings true to us today. Almost every one of us could answer, “I have despised the day of small things.” The question provides its own answer: none of us should despise the day of small things, because God has a wonderful - though perhaps difficult - purpose for those days.
i. It was a long “day” for Zerubbabel, because the work of the temple laid in ruins for almost 20 years. He probably would say to God, “What do you mean ‘day of small things?’ I’ve lived with 20 years of small things.” Even so, God tells Zerubbabel to not despise the time of small things, and to consider it is all as just a day.
ii. In many of God’s choice workers He uses a powerful season of small things. Those days are not a mistake nor are they punishment; they are days of priceless shaping and preparation. They are not days to despise.
iii. When Satan tempts us to despise the day of small things, he shines as an outstanding liar because Satan does not despise the day of small things. Satan fears the day of small things in our life because he sees what great things God does in them and brings out of them.
iv. Spurgeon spoke to the need for courage in the day of small things in our churches: “To me, it seems that it should be your glory to join the poorest and weakest churches of your denomination, and wherever you go, to say, ‘This little cause is not as strong as I should like it to be; but, by the grace of God, I will make it more influential. At any rate, I will throw in my weight to strengthen the weak things of Zion, and certainly I will not despise the day of small things.’ Where would have been our flourishing churches of today if our forefathers had disdained to sustain them while they were yet in their infancy?”
v. “God accepts your little works if they are done in faith in his dear Son. God will give success to your little works: God will educate you by your little works to do greater works; and your little works may call out others who shall do greater works by far than ever you shall be able to accomplish.” (Spurgeon)