One of the reasons I love John´s Gospel is for its imagery. Spiritual truth is conveyed through familiar everyday images that are close to us all. Images that denote life, growth, family etc.
“Unless your are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God”, says Jesus to Nicodemus (3,3). Well, we all know what it is to be born. “The wind blows where it wills, you hear the sound of it. You do not know where it comes from, or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
One of the images I love the most is that of the Good Shepherd in John chapter 10.
The image for God himself as a Shepherd, of course has a rich Old Testament background. You only have to think of Psalm 23. But there are bad shepherds too, and you ought to read John ch. 10 with Ezekiel ch 34.
It has always been tremendously appealing to me that God could speak – and to me personally! Yes, the God of the Bible is a God who speaks! In this chapter of John, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep (each one!), and they know him. They recognise his voice.
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,”
Jn. 10:14
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””
Jn. 10:27-30
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Jn. 10:10
If you have received Jesus as your saviour, he is in your life! You have the Good Shepherd!
Don´t think that hearing his voice is for super-Christians! First, super-Christians don’t exist – only in our minds! No! Hearing the Shepherd´s voice is for all his sheep! You are no exception!
The scripture says that the sheep know his voice! Of course they do! They recognise their shepherd´s voice. He speaks REASSURINGLY AND LOVINGLY to them!
He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul, says Psalm 23. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake!
I think the surest way for you and I to hear the voice of Jesus in our lives is just to trust him. He knows how to speak to each one of us so that we recognise him.
Now, of course we need to stick around the Shepherd, if we want to hear him speak!
I was a teacher once, and I know what it’s like trying to get a class of 30 kids to take messaging from me, while on a field trip e.g., or even in the classroom. Those kids that have their eyes on the teacher, and their ears tuned to me, are more likely to hear what I have to say to them than those with their backs to me, fooling around with someone else – you get the point!
We need to actively seek God – Jeremiah 29,12-13 says:
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:12-13
We need to seek God in his Word and in prayer – both; not just the Bible, and not just prayer!
And we need to earnestly seek him – to cultivate that as our way with God! That’s how we do it! We earnestly seek him!
We have Scripture to back this up:
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who (Gr. diligently) seek him.” Heb. 11:6
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
Rom. 10:12 KJV
We need to learn God’s ways – God’s way is that he lets himself be found when we seek him with all our hearts! (Jer.29,14)
And particularly, if you are feeling condemned today, or far from God – start listening to the Shepherd – seek his face! He does NOT condemn you, that is NOT his voice – there is one who condemns (Rev. 12,9-10) and it is NOT our Shepherd! That is NOT God’s way with us! He speaks reassuringly to you, he brings you peace and encouragement!
BE BLESSED TODAY!😀😀👍👍