[Jesus continued,] “The gatekeeper opens the gate for [the shepherd], and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.”
Key Thought
Even today, one shepherd’s sheep are separated from other flocks by the sound of their shepherd’s voice. They follow their shepherd while sheep from other flocks follow their own shepherd even if the flocks are intermingled. Jesus wants us to know that as our shepherd, he knows us intimately and will call us by name. We, in turn, need to learn to recognize his voice when he calls us. How do we learn to do that? By reading his words in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John in the Bible) and learning to recognize his ways and his will. He will lead us where he wants us to go and bless us as we need to be blessed, but we need to be able to distinguish his voice from the many false religious voices that crowd into our world today. The only way to recognize Jesus’ voice is to listen to and follow the words God has given us from Jesus in the Scriptures. Fortunately, we also have the Holy Spirit to help us do just that. [1] Let’s renew our passion to know the Jesus of the Gospels and follow his words!
Today’s Prayer
Gracious God, please help me follow your Son as my shepherd as I commit to spend more time with him in the Gospels. Bless me as I learn to recognize his work and his leading in my life. In the name of Jesus, my Lord and shepherd, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Acts 20:17, 25-31Psalm 23Hebrews 13:20-21Ⓒ 1996-2022 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.