Do You Know His Voice?

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John 10:1–18, 27

Jesus gives us one of the most personal pictures of our relationship with Him when He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. He says, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” Think about that for a moment. Jesus doesn’t describe a shepherd shouting directions at a distant flock. He describes a shepherd who knows his sheep personally, calls them by name, and walks ahead of them.

There are a lot of voices competing for our attention. Fear tells us what might happen. Culture tells us what should matter. Comparison tells us we’re falling behind. Our past reminds us of who we used to be. And sometimes our own thoughts get so loud that it’s difficult to hear anything else. But Jesus says His sheep learn to recognize His voice.

Learning His voice doesn’t happen accidentally. The more time we spend in His Word, talking with Him, praying, listening and walking with Him, the more familiar His voice becomes. It’s a lot like recognizing the voice of someone you love. They don’t have to introduce themselves every time they call. You’ve heard them so many times that you simply know who is speaking.

And notice what Jesus says the Shepherd does: He leads. We don’t have to know every turn in the road ahead. We just need to stay close enough to the Shepherd to recognize His voice when He says, “This way.” Jesus knows your name, He knows where He’s leading you, and He isn’t asking you to figure out the journey without Him.

Today’s thought: With all the voices speaking into my life, am I spending enough time with Jesus to recognize His?

Circle up!