“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
The Lord Jesus came to earth to carry out God’s rescue plan for mankind. He would open the door to God and show people the way to forgiveness and eternal happiness. To explain this, Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd.
Imagine a flock of sheep who have spent the night in a secure stable or enclosure. In the morning, the shepherd wants to get out with his animals so they can find fresh grass and water. As soon as he calls his sheep, they recognize his voice and follow him. They know that the shepherd cares for them, protects them and knows where to find the best pastures. Therefore, they follow him confidently.
“I am the good Shepherd,” Jesus says. He wants to care for us, protect us and give us eternal life. To follow Jesus’ leading, we must recognize His voice, and we must trust Him to determine the course of our lives. That’s not always easy. Perhaps sheep are better at this than us humans….
The sheep can distinguish their shepherd’s voice from other voices because they know the shepherd. Do you know Jesus? Do you try to discern His voice, and to what extent do you succeed in that?