This Day in History: 0000-05-13

May 13 – Zechariah 4:6-7 & 10 

Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’”
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand…” 

I love this message the Lord gave to Zerubbabel as he began the work of rebuilding the temple after the Jewish people’s long years of exile. It is a message that is still relevant, no matter what task we find ourselves working to accomplish for God. 

We’re tempted to feel overwhelmed by the scope of our calling. We all do it. As we set out in a new undertaking, we often find ourselves cowering as the scale of what remains to be done looms ahead of us. We forget that He who has called us is faithful, and instead try to imagine how we’ll ever be able to accomplish it all in our own strength. 

Meanwhile, God gently reminds us, as He did Zerubbabel, “It is not by force nor by strength” that we’ll see it done. We can’t plow ahead and hope to strong-arm our way through to the finish line. Instead, we’re reminded by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, it is only by His Spirit that anything of lasting significance will be accomplished. He is the One who casts mountains into the depths of the sea. He is the One who breaks chains. He is the One who works miracles. He is the One who lays a straight and level path before us and asks us to simply follow. 

So whatever God has assigned to you, my friend, let me encourage you with these words from our Lord, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord REJOICES to see the work begin!” He has given this task to you. He will equip you to see it through!