3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [simple_tooltip content=’1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.’](John 10:1-5)[/simple_tooltip]
Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, and they do not know the voice of strangers (v. 4-5). Yet it seems most Christians experience the opposite. The vast majority of believers hear the devil, the world, and their flesh loud and clear, but they have a hard time hearing the Lord. That’s not normal Christianity.
Jesus painted a picture showing that His sheep are sensitive to His voice and hard of hearing when it comes to anyone else. That should be the typical Christian experience. So what is happening to us? Why does our experience seem to be so different from what Jesus said it would be?
We can be assured that the problem is our hearing, not God’s speaking. He speaks to us continually in many different ways, but we often miss it. [simple_tooltip content=’1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.’]Psalm 19:1-4[/simple_tooltip] and [simple_tooltip content=’For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,’]Romans 1:20[/simple_tooltip] declare God speaks to us through creation. Each day has something new to say to us, but we are too busy to notice.
God also speaks through His Word, but few of us find the time to read it, study it, and meditate on it. We are too busy making time for television, the Internet, movies, work, sports, and a multitude of other things that fill our heads and hearts with everything but Jesus. Is it any wonder we don’t hear Him or recognize His voice when He speaks to us?
Jesus said He is speaking to you and has equipped you to hear His voice. You just need to tune in! Make time today and every day to hear no other voice but His, and it won’t be long before you hear Him more than anyone or anything else.
