The Voice of God (Part 5)

Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice.”

I am one of his “sheep.” 

Therefore, I know His voice.

Now we don’t see a lot of sheep and shepherds in America, so we don’t know the nature of their relationship.  The shepherd named his sheep and got to know them, and they him.  He was their protector and provider.  David, who was a shepherd, the one who wrote the famous 23^rd Psalm, seemed particularly dedicated to his sheep.  He defended them against lions and bears.

Jesus is to his followers as a shepherd is to his sheep:  Their provider, protector, and defender against spiritual predators.  Jesus saw his followers as “sheep among wolves.”  Sheep are defenseless and senseless animals.  Without their shepherd, they don’t stand a chance in this world of wolves.  They can’t find good grass, good water, or safe pastures.  Therefore it is crucial for Jesus’ followers to know His voice as their Good Shepherd.  They need their shepherd, and he loves them with his life.  If one goes astray or gets lost, the good shepherd goes to find it, and won’t rest until he does.

Yet this is what helps me the most in thinking of Jesus as the good shepherd.

Again, if a sheep is lost or goes in the wrong direction, the good shepherd doesn’t just let it go wrong.  He seeks it until he finds it, and he does this with compassion.  Jesus saw Israel with eyes of pity, saying they were like sheep without a shepherd:  Directionless and defenseless.

He didn’t think, “Oh well, you should have listened.”  He sought to find them, lead them, provide for them, and protect them.

This helps me because I have the assurance that if I mishear or misunderstand the voice of my shepherd, he will redirect me.

Like if I tell my son to go get me a flat head screw driver and he gets a Phillip head instead.  If he misunderstood, or didn’t know the difference, I would just tell him the difference and redirect him.  I wouldn’t punish him or simply accept the wrong screw driver.  My will didn’t change just because he misheard or misunderstood.

As I trust that I know the voice of my Good Shepherd, I know that his voice is clear, and if I mishear and get lost, he’ll compassionately redirect me.