Today’s Scripture: John 10:4, NIV- “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
When we make the decision to follow Jesus, how do we do that? Since Jesus is our best teacher, we can ask Him every day to teach us. Almost every day I am reminded of how Jesus made it His custom to get away from everyone and everything to go and be alone with God the Father.
If Jesus needed this time, so do we. In John 10:7 we are told “So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (ESV) Jesus also tells us in John 10:9 that anyone who follows Him will be saved.
Like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, most of the world still does not understand. All we must understand is to follow Him. When we follow Him, we learn to recognize His voice. In today’s age, very few of us stay still or silent long enough to distinguish the voice of Jesus. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (NKJV)
Today’s technologies can steal our focus, time, and energy before we know it. If we want to improve our conscious contact with God and learn to recognize the voice of Jesus, we must make the decision to walk away for some time alone with God.
In John 10:11, Jesus said “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (NKJV) Jesus did give His life for us. For us to live a more abundant life we must simply follow Him. How do we do that? Let us start by asking Him to teach us how to recognize His voice over all other voices and distractions.
Just as those listening to Jesus in those days we are divided. Being “saved” is foreign to those who never follow or listen to the Good Shepherd. Any interest in doing so is stolen and destroyed, killed even. Jesus can seem so far away to those who never listen for Him.
Thankfully, Jesus can be near if we only follow Him. If we do not know how or where to go, we can simply ask Jesus to teach us. In John 10:24 the Jews said to Jesus, “If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (NKJV)
John 10:25-26 tells us that “Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” (NIV) Reading God’s Word reminds us of what Jesus has already told us so we can be His sheep. In John 14:26 Jesus also promised us “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (NKJV)
Let us step away from all other voices and be silent and listen to hear Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I find it interesting that the King James Version puts a colon between John 10:27 and 28 which indicates further expansion. 10:27“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Jesus does not need to hear our voices, we need to hear His. Let ask Jesus to teach us to hear His voice and follow Him.
Today’s Scripture: Jesus, I am asking to hear Your voice. Know me LORD. Teach me LORD to hear You and believe what You have already said to us. Thank You LORD for providing eternal life and safety from all evil. Jesus, I am following You. Amen.
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