From my book Daily Prayer (Book 1) – published by Kevin Mayhew in 2003 (currently priced at £14.99), and still outselling many others – a session exploring how God is able to work through the seemingly small things of this world in ways far beyond our expectations.
Read
From you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, small though you may be among the clans of Judah, shall emerge one who is to rule in Israel, whose roots go back into history, from the earliest of times. Therefore, he will give up his people only until the time when she who is in labour bears a child; then the remnant of his people will return to their kinsfolk in Israel. He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Thus, they will live in safety, for at that time his greatness will extend to the ends of the earth; and he will be the man of peace. Micah 5:2-5a
Ponder
‘Every oak has been an acorn.’ ‘Small is the seed of every greatness.’ ‘Great weights hang on small wires.’ ‘Great engines turn on small pivots.’ These are just some of the innumerable proverbs reminding us that unpromising beginnings need not be a barrier to success; and that, similarly, is a theme which runs throughout the Old Testament, from Moses taking on the might of Egypt to David killing Goliath, from Elijah triumphing over the prophets of Baal to Daniel facing up to the terrors of the lions’ den.
The prophet Micah adds one more unforgettable picture to the list in the little town of Bethlehem. It is hard today to appreciate how extraordinary it must have seemed to hear God’s promised Messiah associated with this insignificant town, notwithstanding its associations with King David. Jerusalem, surely, was the only place fitting for someone of such stature! In human terms, this may have been true, but not in God’s. As so often before and since, God proves himself to be a God of the unexpected. In his kingdom the first invariably find themselves last, and the last first.
Ask yourself
Are there times when you have surprised yourself by achieving something you thought yourself incapable of even attempting? Are you guilty sometimes of judging strength and success by outside appearances?
Pray
Sovereign God, time and again you have overturned human expectations, using the most unlikely of people in yet more unlikely surroundings. You have shown beyond doubt that no situation or person is outside the scope of your purpose – that each one can be used by you. Teach me, then, to be open to everything you would do through those around me, and to recognise also all you can do through me, working in ways I would never dare to contemplate and can scarcely imagine. Sovereign God, you recognise the potential of everyone and everything – help me to do the same. Amen.
Remember
To what can we liken the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to explain it? Think of it as a mustard seed. When sown in the soil, there is no seed on earth smaller, yet, having once been sown, it shoots up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, putting out branches so large the birds of the air can make nests in its cover. Mark 4:30-32
Close
Living God, teach me that you can do more with a little than I could hope to achieve had I the whole world at my disposal. Amen.