When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it didn’t look like the grand arrival of a king. There was no royal announcement, no palace, and no crowds. Instead, He entered the world in a small village, placed in a manger — a feeding trough — and greeted by shepherds.
To most people, that setting might have looked random or even accidental. But it wasn’t. God was sending a message — one wrapped in simplicity yet filled with deep meaning. He was showing us something powerful: God knows how to speak in ways we understand. That’s one of the main themes of the Christmas story, beautifully illustrated by the message of the manger.
According to Jewish tradition, Bethlehem’s shepherds raised Passover lambs — lambs that had to be perfect and without blemish. Many of these lambs were born in a place called Migdal Eder (“The Tower of the Flock”), located just outside Bethlehem.
When Jesus was born and placed in a manger, He was wrapped in swaddling cloths — just like those newborn lambs. It was a quiet, prophetic picture of His destiny. The angels didn’t have to explain that symbolism to the shepherds — they instantly understood. The Messiah had been born, the true Passover Lamb who would one day take away the sins of the world.
God spoke to the shepherds in their own language — the language of lambs, sacrifice, and shepherding. And when they heard the message, they didn’t hesitate. They ran to see Him, and then they spread the news everywhere they went.
That same God still speaks to people today. The message may not come through angels in the sky, but it will come in a way that reaches you.
If you’re a thinker, He may speak through Scripture that challenges your mind.
If you’re a feeler, He may speak through a moment of peace or worship that stirs your heart.
If you’re a doer, He may guide you through opportunities and open doors.
God knows you personally — your background, your wiring, your story — and He knows exactly how to get your attention. Sometimes we miss what He’s saying because we expect something dramatic, when in reality His voice often comes wrapped in the ordinary: in a conversation with a friend, a verse that leaps off the page, or a quiet moment when your heart feels stirred.
Think about it — how many times have you asked God for wisdom about a situation, only to look back later and realize how clearly He was guiding you all along? Sometimes the clues are subtle, but when the breakthrough comes, you can see how intentional God was at every step.
Years ago, before our church bought the building we currently meet in, God began to shift the desires of my heart. I started to see that He didn’t just want us to be a portable church meeting in a middle school, but a permanent place where we could gather every night of the week.
A few months later, three unrelated people mentioned the same building to me within weeks of each other. Then, I received a prophetic word about kairos moments — the Greek word for “opportune time.” That word carried extra weight because the church that previously owned the building was called Kairos Community Church.
Do you see how God was leading me? He spoke through multiple confirmations — through people, timing, and even names. He wasn’t hiding His will from me; He was hiding it for me, as Colossians 3:3 says.
“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3
That means the answers we’re searching for aren’t far away. They’re hidden for us, not from us. As we spend time in His Word and stay sensitive to His Spirit in prayer, He reveals His redemptive plan piece by piece.
Just like the shepherds, when we listen, we’ll find Jesus right in the middle of our everyday lives — in the simple, the small, and even the unexpected.
The story of Jesus’s birth isn’t just a historical account — it’s a personal reminder that God speaks in ways we can understand. He did it for the shepherds in Bethlehem. He did it for the world through a manger. And He’ll do it for you.
So if you’re struggling to hear God, don’t assume He’s silent. Open His Word. Lean in. Listen.
He is speaking — right now — in a language familiar to your heart.
I hope this article has encouraged you about hearing the voice of God. If you’d like to learn more, check out this message I taught at Grace Life Church.
