Day 18: Voice

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

John 10:1-5 (NASB 95)

To hear the voice of God is a precious thing, and Jesus makes it sound so simple here. There are other voices that can lead us astray, but as His sheep, we are to recognize His voice and follow where He leads us to go.

How do I recognize God’s voice? He certainly can speak audibly, but more often a good rule of thumb is this: if you have a thought that you know you didn’t come up with on your own, there’s a good chance it’s God who put it there.

God will also speak and will always confirm through His Word, the Bible. After reading a verse or passage, suddenly you might know exactly what to do, what to say, what to think, or how to view a situation. It may come as you’re reading, reflecting, praying, or as the Holy Spirit brings it to mind at a later point in time.

Visualize this analogy Jesus uses; this is how He chooses to relate to you. Apply it to yourself. Understand that you are a sheep, and He is your Shepherd. He knows each of us, and He knows each of our needs. He sees beyond our ability to understand.

Jesus goes ahead of you, and He calls you, by name, to follow Him.

How might He be speaking to you today? What do you hear in His voice?

Thank the Good Shepherd for how He’s led you this far.

Where else does He want to lead you? Spend some time listening to Him today.