Do You Know His Voice?

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.   When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice...John 10:3-4.

When my children were young, I loved having all three of them sit between Don and me in the church pew!

Though their little bodies often squirmed as they sat between us during church services, I loved knowing they were with us each Sunday morning!

And I have to confess…I still love having my adult children sitting close by me on a Sunday morning!

There is just something about being surrounded by family as we worship together! 

I know other mamas are agreeing with me right now!

Last Sunday, not only was I blessed to sit next to my son-in-law and daughter, but my daughter-in-law was in town and was sitting behind me with her parents and her sweet baby, Joel!

Another confession…I can easily get distracted during service when one of my grandchildren is close by!

I want to look at their sweet faces and snuggle them when I have the opportunity to hold them during church!

And if I am really honest…it’s not just my grandchildren that distract me!  I can easily be distracted by any little adorable baby nearby!

However, on this particular Sunday morning, I was listening intently to the message that Pastor Brian was sharing!

I had read the scriptures that we would be studying prior to that Sunday…we had discussed the same topic during Sunday school…so I was quite eager to hear what our pastor would share that morning!

And then it happened…I began to hear the sweetest little “cooing” sounds behind him!

I ignored them at first…really I did!

But as the “cooing” continued, I caught myself being drawn to that sweet little voice…listening for Joel so share additional  “coos” with all those who sat around him!

I couldn’t help it!  I turned and smiled at my daughter-in-law and that sweet baby! 

I was drawn to his sweet and gentle voice!

And as I listened, I thought of a couple of the scriptures we were studying that morning… The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice...John 10:3-4.

I love hearing each of my precious grandchildren’s voices…I love listening to their “coos”…giggles…and laughter…

However, I desperately want to know the voice of my Savior…the good shepherd!

We are filled with a world that encourages to go this way…or that way…not necessarily leading us down the best path for us.

I desire to tune out the voices of this world…and to be so in tune with my Heavenly Father that I immediately recognize His voice and then follow wherever He leads me!

As we continued to read and study the scriptures in John…God’s word states…I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also.  They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd…John 10:14-16.

As we looked at this scripture, I was reminded of the many who do not know the Father…who do not recognize His voice!

I realize how much more each of us needs to be praying and interceding for those lost sheep!

We need to pray that they too will recognize the shepherds voice and desire to follow Him.

God hears our prayers!

Please join me in prayer that those lost sheep will hear God’s voice and choose to follow the one true shepherd!

Dear Heavenly Father…Thank you for the sweet voices in our life that we love to hear and recognize so easily!  But also help us to listen for your voice…following wherever you lead us.