”My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27New International Version (NIV)
John 10:27 Devotional
Listening to God’s voice
“Listening to God’s voice“, drawn from John 10:27, is absolutely critical for God’s followers. This is the medium through which God leads His followers (sheep).
One interesting fact about sheep is they have incredible hearing (ability). This makes up for the fact that their eyesight is very poor. They can only see well in bright light. Therefore, they must rely on the sound of the shepherd’s voice for direction more often than not. Sheep cannot lead themselves.
Similarly, Jesus’ followers, whom He knows, should expect to hear from Him at any time, and at all times. This is how they are instructed and guided.
Distractions
But the critical downside of this is that sheep are easily distracted. And so are we, with all that goes on within and without us.
Therefore, this, coupled with their poor sight (representing sinful nature), means that they can wander off without realizing how far they have wandered from the flock. However, when the shepherd calls to them, they hear and recognize his voice and return to him.
But if they have wandered too far away, even with their super hearing, they can easily get lost and become easy prey for wolves or other predators. The good news is that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will leave the entire flock just to go after the one missing sheep.
God speaks to us through His Word, other godly people, and our circumstances. He also speaks directly to us when we quiet ourselves in His presence.
Spend time
Therefore, you and I need (purpose) to spend time in His Word, which is His primary way that God speaks to us. Certain verses will stand out as we do so.
In addition, we will need to wait on God (spend time with Him to hear from His Spirit, who will not contradict His Word), and memorize Bible verses. And we also need to repent of our sins. Unrepented sin will cause “hearing” problems – we will not be able to hear from God.
Obey
Finally, the sheep follow after listening to Shepherd’s voice. That is, we have to obey God’s voice – we should listen to obey.
Prayer/Blessing
Father, help my fellowship with You through Your Word and prayer. Help my hearing and obedience. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Genesis 16-18 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
