Hearing the Voice of Jesus

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 119:145-176
PM - Psalm 128, 129 and 130
Gospel - John 10:1-18

For reflection: How do you discern God's voice from all the voices that vie for your attention?

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What a question this one is!  Don't you wish you had a pat, easy answer for this one?  I believe Christians have asked this one for years.  When I first read through these scriptures and this question, I had no desire to even approach this question.  I thought I'll just concentrate on the scriptures, but concentrating on the scriptures brought me back to the question.

John 10:4-5

"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

If we are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd, we should know his voice.  It says so in verse 4.  So how do we do that?  The question above references all the the voices that vie for your attention.  What are the other voices vying for your attention?  Responsibility, worry, family, work, politics, unfulfilled expectations, financial struggles, social life, media, or pleasure, to name a few.  Do you recognize any of these voices?

As I read Psalm 119:145-176, I looked for a theme and how any of this related.  I was struck by the Psalmist's love for the word of God expressed in this passage.  Below are listed a few of the Psalmist's words referring to the word of God:

147 - I put my hope in Your word

148 - that I may meditate on Your promises

151 - all your commands are true

156 - preserve my life according to Your laws

159 - I love Your precepts; preserve my life, O Lord, according to Your love

160 - all Your words are true, all Your righteous laws are eternal

161 - my heart trembles at Your word

163 - I love Your law

167 - I obey Your statutes for I love them greatly

174 - Your law is my delight

In order to love the word of God, one has to know the word of God.  The Psalmist knew, loved, and praised God for His word.

How much time do you spend knowing, loving, and praising God for His word?  Is our hope being daily placed in God's word (119:147)?  Are you meditating on God's promises (119:148)?  For us to recognize the Lord's voice, we must know His word.  I believe that only by walking with the Lord, studying His word, and finding some sort of solitude with Him, can we discern the Lord's voice amongst all the others.  

- Renee Preston