Listening In?

What do you listen to? A very common question and we all have different answers. Mostly it is directed at our music selection, or radio programs. We choose what to listen to for a variety of reasons: entertainment, relaxation, instruction, etc. What we listen to has influence over our feelings and our decision making process.

Don’t worry; this is not a blog about the evils of music or why you shouldn’t listen to this or that. This is a reflection on John 10, where we have been spending time in our Quiet Time, if you are following the Word of Life Quiet Time Journal.

            “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

(John 10:2-5 ESV)

I am drawn to this passage as I see such a beautiful imagery of Jesus love for us here, and what our reaction should be for it. It begins with the picture of a shepherd caring for his sheep. First century shepherds where known to talk to their sheep and sing to them to calm them down. As he would do this, they would learn his unique voice and respond only to him. If his sheep were to mingle with other sheep belonging to other shepherds, they would know it was time to go when their shepherd spoke them.

Notice in John 10 that it says that Jesus, or Good Shepherd, calls to his own sheep! Jesus is calling out to us daily. He calls to us by name! Think about this, we are intimately known by the Creator of the Universe! This helps us to see the intimate, personal nature of His communication with us. His voice leads us and guides us in life. As Peter tells us, He shares with us “everything we need for life and godliness.” So our Shepherd calls us by name and leads us.

Here we see the description of the sheep, they know His voice and respond to it. Again, I ask, “what are you listening to”? Do you hear the voice of Jesus daily? Are you in the Word of God listening to His voice regularly? Are you asking the Holy Spirit to give you ears to hear? Do you know His voice?

We choose to listen to all kinds of things according to our preference. It’s time to choose to listen to the Shepherd of our Souls. It’s time to follow Jesus where His song leads us (Zephaniah 3:17). Knowing His promise that He has come to bring life to the full (John 10:10). Are you listening to the Shepherd?