The Shepherd's Voice

Was reading in a devotional the other day and it was about following the shepherd's voice. Thought I'd post about that idea or thought.

In John chapter 10 we read an account by Jesus comparing himself to a shepherd. This analogy is one of my favorite ways to depict Him. A shepherd spends so much time with his sheep and caring for them and literally putting his life on the line for them to protect them, to guide them and to feed them. It is a beautiful and comforting picture and thought. In this chapter Jesus says that His sheep KNOW his voice and follow Him. To know some one's voice, you must spend time with them. When you spend time listening to another person or you know them very well, you can hear the hidden things in their voices that they are not expressing. Things such as discouragement, hurt, anger, happiness. You also can tell when they don't really mean what they are saying. You can also recognize their voice even if you can't see their face.

 

 

When you hear even their voice faintly in a distance, you can recognize them, go to them and be joined to them. To know the voice of Jesus and His calling to you, His guidance to the blessings of life, His warnings to steer clear of, and His urgings to follow, you must know Him intimately. You know Him in this way only through reading the Bible and meditating on it. You also can pray as though He is your friend and care taker because He is. Learn to listen for His voice and block out all strange voices as do sheep. They do not follow the voice of a stranger. They wait for the comforting voice of their OWN Shepherd.

 

Do you know the Shepherd's voice? If not, today is a good day to begin to learn and study it so that you will not follow the wrong voice.