Do you know people by their voice? Do you know, without seeing, your mother or father’s voice? Do you know your boss’s voice? Do you know your spouses’ voice? How many voices do you know? Do you know the voice of God when you hear it?
We know the voice of many people. We have heard them so often that we can identify their voice, even if it is somewhat distorted. Each person has a uniqueness about their voice. That is why kids know exactly whose mom is yelling for them to come home, even if their names are not called out.
But do we know the voice of God? Jesus tells us the sheep know the shepherd’s voice. Have you ever seen a shepherd walking across a pasture with sheep following behind? I have. It is quite an interesting sight. The shepherd walks along, calling the sheep by making little noises, and they obediently follow behind. The sheep know the shepherd will lead them to food and water.
We are to have the same level of trust with God. In order to know his voice, we must learn to listen for it. Much like the sheep and the shepherd, we must experience following God, and learn to trust that he will lead us to what we need. It starts with small steps and continues to increase as we experience his leading.
Unfortunately, just like sheep, we can be lured away by something shiny that catches our attention. So, we must listen at all times, keeping our focus on the shepherd. We must recognize those other voices as a stranger, someone who means to do us harm rather than good.
I pray we all listen for the voice of God—the Good Shepherd. I pray we keep our focus on him. I pray each one of us will follow the voice of God, experience him, and learn to trust him in all situations. Know the Shepherd’s voice. Stay focused on him. Experience him. Trust God.
John 10:4-5 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Marty Pressey 