Countdown to Christmas: 12 Days to Prepare Your HeartSample

Humble Beginnings

It is remarkable how something that appears so small can hold the power to change everything. God’s plan for salvation did not begin with thunder or applause; it began in stillness: a baby, a manger, a whisper of hope.

That is how God still works. His greatest gifts often come quietly, wrapped in simplicity, disguised as ordinary moments. The world missed Jesus’ arrival because it did not look spectacular, but the humble, open-hearted shepherds saw beyond appearances. They recognised that this child was the beginning of something extraordinary.

God’s promises for us are “greater than we can ever hope for or imagine,” but they too begin with faith, faith to believe He is working on our behalf, even if we can’t see it.

When you decide to follow Jesus, it might feel just as understated, but that one decision carries eternal weight. The shepherds’ small step of obedience brought them face to face with the Saviour, the greatest man who ever lived. They had no idea that the child before them would one day redeem the world.

God’s greatest work often starts with small beginnings. The question is whether we will open the gift, because once we do, revelation unfolds, and what once felt ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Reflect: Could the small step of faith you take today be the beginning of something eternal?

Prayer: Lord, thank You that Your greatest gifts often begin quietly. Help me recognise and respond to the small invitations that lead to life with You.