December 2 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Genesis 8:6–12

Devotional

Noah released a dove from the ark and at nighttime it flew back with an olive leaf in its beak. It was a message from God. This may seem insignificant, for a dove and an olive leaf are both little things in our eyes. Still, the small and insignificant can have importance. The Lord could have spoken differently to Noah. The Lord could have given him a message by speaking to him out of a whirlwind or out of a thunderstorm. God could have brought His message through majestic angels instead of through a simple dove. That is what man would prefer, for man delights in great things. But God exalts Himself through “little things.”

Heavenly instruction condescends and makes use of “little things” that in the eyes of a proud man are not even worthy to consider. Yes, God exalts Himself in little matters. Think for a moment of the mighty rolling waves. Who can stop them when they come rolling ashore with power? But the almighty Creator stops them with grains of sand.

God maintains the world with “little things.” With “little things” He guides all the events of this world. With “little things” He guides and teaches His church. That is also how He comforts His people, who, together with Noah, have to sigh: “Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore?” (Ps. 77:8). God fulfills His purposes with “little things.”

People look for great things. They want heaven and earth to be moved. They expect God to use great things to bring relief, yet the Lord speaks through little things. Who can count all the olive leaves, these messengers of God’s faithfulness? For instance, Paul was at a certain occasion in Corinth and was downcast. Titus visited him, and this visit lifted Paul up very much. We would have said, “What can we expect from a weak man?” A visit is but a little thing in the eyes of people. But the Lord used this man to comfort His servant. And Paul did not write: “Titus comforted me,” but: “God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Cor. 7:6).

If only our eyes would be opened to see God’s dealings in little things. God uses events and people that seem insignificant to us to work in our lives. Christ pointed out that every sparrow on a rooftop and even the hairs of our head are important to God and convey a message to us. We must, of course, be careful not to make much of nothing. We may not tie circumstances and events together to try to secure our salvation. Our salvation must be firmly grounded in Christ alone.

On the other hand, we cannot trivialize or tread underfoot olive leaves that are sent as messages of God. The Lord comes after us in a thousand ways. Does Scripture not say, that He is “not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27)? But we have become so blind that we do not see how God seeks us daily with so many little things. Through these little things He calls us and speaks to us of justice and of mercy.

Unconverted ones, understand that the Lord speaks even through the smallest things that you encounter on your path of life. He uses these things to cause you to seek Him. You may not say that there were no callings of the Lord in your life. God declares to man daily that He has no pleasure in his death. Oh, if only your eyes would be opened to this! God uses many little things to call you to Himself. This is most humbling.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.