The Voice (John 10)

Those who are intimate with Jesus know His voice just like sheep know the sound of their shepherd. Proverbs 1:20 says," wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates."  Knowing God's voice and walking in wisdom go hand in hand.  Without intimacy, we walk in deception; what we think is right is dead wrong as we see with the religious leaders in the time of Jesus.  They knew everything about God, but since they didn't know God, they couldn't recognize His voice through His Son.

I don't have sheep, but I have dogs, and one of them like a sheep is white and sees me as His Master, the moment I say His name, he comes, when I move he moves, when I speak up he stands up when I say sit he sits.  They say a dog is man's best friend we can learn a lot from dogs in how to be a friend of God.  The way Knight follows me, we are to follow God.  The way Knight just lives for intimacy is the way we are to live to be intimate with our Master, God!

There is no other way to God, but through Jesus, He is the gate, and He is the Shepherd.  If anyone says anything different, they are a thief and a robber. That is why our number one responsibility as under-shepherds is to teach those we lead how to grow in discerning God's voice.  If we fail in this, those we lead will be easily misled and devoured by wolves.  It is not difficult to teach one to hear God's voice for the promise of the new covenant is that truth is written on the heart. (Jer. 23:1-2).  God holds Shepherds accountable which includes, Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Teachers, Coaches, Employers, Pastors, etc, on how well they feed those under their care, and if they cause them to be scattered, He will step in and rescue His flock and judge the shepherds severely (Ezekiel 34).

Those who are intimate with the Lord don't just know God's voice but become His mouthpiece.  As we allow the Lord to Shepherd us we receive the grace to Shepherd others.  The qualities of Jesus as our Shepherd become our qualities as we serve those He places before us.  We learn here in John 10:11-16 that the sacrifice of laying down one's life is the greatest expression of a true Shepherd.  We also learn that a hireling is a Shepherd with a selfish heart, that doesn't give but takes, he doesn't really care but neglects (Jer. 23:1-2).  We all need Shepherds but we need to choose those who are intimate with the Lord proven by their sacrifice and care and then likewise follow and do the same.  

In times of testing, people either scatter or draw closer and become stronger.  I believe the latter is happening more than the former, the plumbline has been set, and as it says in the latter part of John 10, "those who really know His voice, see Him at work and follow". Will you choose to draw closer to your heavenly Father as it says in John 15:15 to know Him as a friend and to allow Him to reveal to you all that He is doing.