“So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.’ – Luke 2:15-18
For four hundred years, heaven had been silent. No prophet. No vision. No fresh word from the Lord. It was a season much like the days of young Samuel, when “the word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no widespread revelation” (1 Samuel 3:1, NKJV). Israel’s leaders were corrupt, the people were spiritually dull, and darkness seemed to settle over the land. Yet even in the quiet, God always preserves a remnant—people who still pray, still wait, still hope. And just as God broke the silence by calling Samuel, He broke it again in the days of Luke. Suddenly, angels appeared. Dreams were given. The Holy Spirit filled ordinary people. God was speaking again.
The world Jesus entered was weary and oppressed. Rome ruled with an iron fist, and though the Pax Romana promised peace, hearts were restless and broken. Into that darkness, God began to move. Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and then to Mary. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Shepherds heard “good tidings of great joy.” Wise men were warned in dreams. Joseph was guided step by step. After centuries of silence, God wasn’t whispering—He was shouting grace into the world. The same God who once called Samuel now spoke through angels, dreams, and Spirit-filled believers, announcing that the long-awaited Messiah had come.
Just as God spoke then, He continues to speak today. Not through new Scripture, but through His Spirit, His Word, and His people. When life feels silent or dark, remember that God has a perfect time to break through. He speaks through Scripture that suddenly comes alive, through a sermon that pierces the heart, through a believer’s encouragement, or through circumstances that redirect our steps.
If you feel like you’re in a silent season, don’t lose heart. God has not forgotten you. Just as He spoke again in Israel’s darkest hour, He will speak into your life at the right time and in the right way. Open His Word. Quiet your heart. Stay faithful. God still moves, God still speaks, and God still fulfills every promise He has made
“Whenever God means to make a man great, He always breaks him in pieces first.” – Charles Spurgeon
surrendered devotions 