It's The Little Things That Count

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Kathy Withers and I were talking this week and our conversation turned to the "little" words we find in the Bible - "yet," "but," and my favorites, "if...then." My pastor has preached many times that, just because these words are little, doesn't mean we should skip over them. They are flashing lights that should make us stop and pay special attention not only to what comes next, but what was said immediately before.

For example, take a look at Habakkuk 3:17-18. The prophet says that even when all of the things we expect to happen in the natural course of life do not ..."YET will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (vs. 18) Even when everything around us seems to fail, YET we should rejoice in the God who knows all of those things already and has made a plan for us.

Or look at Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." My sin has already earned me death, BUT God's great gift of His Son has provided me with eternal and abundant life.

II Chronicles 7:14 is another familiar passage where we are told that "IF my people which are called by my name. shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (emphasis mine) The forgiveness and healing only comes IF we do what we need to do to get ourselves right before the Lord. And only THEN will He do as He has promised.

So the next time you are reading in your Bible, take a reminder from the song phrase, "little things mean a lot." Don't be tempted to rush past the little words. Stop for a moment and remember that those little words lead to something much grander in God's scheme for our lives.

Lynn Randall is the Director of Human Resources at America's KESWICK