The Day of Small Beginnings

It’s a phrase from deep in the Old Testament.

the day of small beginnings

For me it just stirs up excitement. All of us can begin with a small job – with a small achievement and when we do, the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.

The older I get the more I realise how life is made up of little tasks that, in time, become big ones.

In my possession, I have a copy of Halley’s Bible Handbook. My late Mom-in-law gave it to a dear friend of hers named Sybil in 1987. When Sybil died, my Mom-in-law was given it back and now that she is rejoicing in eternity, I have it. The thing that strikes me about this treasure of a book is how it began.

Henry H. Halley was born in 1874. The first edition of his handbook came out in 1924. He was 50. In his foreword, he writes,

“This book has been a growth. It was started in 1924, as a 16 page leaflet. Next it was 32 pages. Then 40. then 80. then 120. Then 144. Then 160. then 180. then 200. then 288. Then 356. Then 476. then 516. Then 604. Then 764. Then 768. Now 850.”

At the age of 50 Henry H. Halley wrote 16 pages of Bible notes. A little leaflet about the Bible. I am 100% sure that God did not despise those small beginnings. Indeed, the Lord rejoiced to see the work begin.

The edition I own – 850 pages – was published the year of Halley’s death – 1965. I have a reprint of it released in 1986.

I looked up Zechariah 4 in the book and here’s what Halley writes,

“What is here said is meant directly for Zerubbabel and the House he was building. But there is unmistakable reference to a Later More Glorious House, to be built by a Descendent of Zerubbabel, called The Branch. It is an exhortation to take courage in the day of small beginnings, by keeping our eyes on the grandeur of the end.”

Fifty years after Halley left this world to enjoy the grandeur of the end, I am enjoying the fruit of his labour.

We all leave prints behind – signs of our life – words we have spoken, or written; kindnesses we have passed onto the next generation; the prayers we have prayed for the those to come; love we have shown to others; generosity we have expressed to those in need. These are  traces of our lives that have eternal value.

Some may be very small – and they may stay that way. But never despise the day of small beginnings. They may be small today and remain small all your life, but you don’t know what effect – how they may multiply – in the generations to come.

Halley’s Bible Commentary – a small book of 850 pages, published as the 24th edition in 1965, in the ensuing 21 years had 2 million 510 thousand 500 reprints done! That was just up until 1986.

Since then there have been more.

Never give up. Keep your eyes focused on the grandeur of the end.

What seems small in your eyes, may not be small at all.

(That’s my quote!)

Keep the smile going.

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂

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