Recognizing the Voice of the Shepherd. John 10.1-5

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Key verse: The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. John 10.4

California has a long stretch of highway, the ‘Five’, that takes its drivers through cities and industry, and through many miles of agriculture and prime grazing land for herds of cattle and sheep.  Do you know what I have never seen … ever?  A shepherd.  The sheep are mostly tagged or electronically marked—nothing personal about the flocks—so different than the biblical accounts of sheep herding.

The Eastern shepherds of Jesus’ day usually raised their sheep from tiny lambs, knowing each one apart from another.  Similarly, the sheep knew their shepherd, as he had a distinct call that he used to beckon and herd them, and separate them from another flock.  It was a ‘voice’ that he used just for them, and they recognized it as unique from all others.  

When followers of Jesus know his voice, they will want to follow him alone--because followers of Jesus know that he alone leads and guides; he does not goad or prod.  Followers of Jesus know that he gently guides; he does not boorishly batter us about the head and arms.  Jesus woos, he convicts, but he does not guilt us in to things.  And when we have trained our ear to hear the voice of Jesus, we will not be fooled by the voice of an impostor.  When Jesus speaks, it will always be consistent with his character, always be in line with the Word of God. As we follow it, we will come to know it, trust it, and seek it out.

I’ve been thinking--maybe the sheep also heard and knew the voice of their shepherd, because they were better able to hear it—in the quiet.  In order to hear the voice of our Shepherd, we may have to give him some quiet as well.  “Be still, and know that he is God,” the psalmist-shepherd wrote.  He comes to us in the still, small voice … does he not?  He even comes to us as we sleep, because our music does not drown him out then … and he ever speaks through his Word, as we seek daily manna from him.

Dear Shepherd of Mine, I want to hear your voice, sense your leading and guiding me.  I want to follow you.  Amen.

Christine

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