Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Elisa Morgan, and I titled Our Reading, Small Miracles.

At our wedding shower, our shy friend Dave stood in a corner clutching an oblong tissue-wrapped object.

When his turn came to present his gift, he brought it forward.

Evan and I unwrapped it to discover a hand-carved piece of wood containing perfect,

oblong-concentric wood grain circles, and the engraved sentence, some of God's miracles, are small.

The plaque has hung in our home for 45 years, reminding us again and again, that God is at work,

even in the small things, paying a bill, providing a meal, healing a cold, all tallying up to an impressive

record of God's provision. Through the prophet Zechariah, the governor of Judah, Zerubabel,

received a similar message from God regarding the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.

After returning from their Babylonian captivity, a season of slow progress began, and the Israelites grew discouraged.

Do not despise these small beginnings, God declared in Zechariah Chapter 4. He accomplishes

his desires through us, and sometimes in spite of us,

not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty, in verse 6.

When we grow weary at the apparent smallness of God's work in us and around us, may we remember that

some of his miracles may be small. He uses the small things to build toward his greater purposes.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Zechariah chapter 4, verses 6 through 10.

So he said to me, this is the word of the Lord to Zerebabel, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.

What are you mighty mountain? Before Zerebable, you will become

level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of, God bless it, God bless it.

Then the word of the Lord came to me. The hands of Zerubabel have laid the foundation of this temple. His hands will also complete it.

Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. Who dares despise the day of small

...