“My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow Me.” John 10:27 (ESV)
The view out my window definitely defies the fact that I live in the city. Target, Walmart, Old Navy – they are simply five minutes from my home. Yet bordering my property is an expansive farm nestled in the heart of the city. Beautiful, rich green meadows are the feeding ground for a dozen cows. Yes, it’s not unusual for me to gaze out my window and be mesmerized by cows slowly moving around the farm. They never get in a hurry…or so I thought.
A few weeks ago, I was totally caught off guard when I glimpsed my fave cows running. Perhaps it was really more like a jog, but they were definitely on the move. And what was the inspiration for their faster than usual slow gait? The farmer was driving onto the property to give them more feed. Just the familiar sight of his truck and the known sound of the engine sent their feet into motion headed to the barn where their needs would be met.
Oh sweet friends does this not remind us of our shepherd who feeds and nourishes our souls. As His sheep, we know His voice, yet the real question is do we follow after Him?
During any given day, we can experience lots of distractions and noises attempting to drown out the voice of God. Because we live in a noise driven world, silence feels unwelcomed and unwanted. We’ve grown so accustomed to unsilence that we’ve lost the intentional art of simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to what He is speaking into our hearts. Void of distractions and competing noises.
Hearing and listening are two totally different processes. If we are blessed with the gift of sound, then we hear voices, music and noise all day long while not requiring a conscious effort on our part. It’s ever so simple. Yet listening is an intentional, active process which requires focus and concentrated effort. And this is where the hearing versus listening really makes the difference.
Unlike the cows that came running to the sound of the farmer’s presence, Genesis 3 reveals the opposite. Adam and Eve ran away from the sound of the ultimate Gardner, our Heavenly Father. Sin sent them into hiding and it can be our biggest obstacle as well. If our ears are tuned to the sound of our own desires then our hearts will quickly follow ushering in disobedience.
Better solution – just like those cows welcomed the sound of the farmer, we too should welcome the sound of our Heavenly Father. With great eagerness, we should run to His voice confident of His desire to feed our souls with the truth of His word. And if we are listening then we will be positioned for obedience. We will heed His warnings. We will follow His ways. We will desire to know God more intimately day by day, and we will cherish the relationship we have with Him.
Nothing is sweeter or more impactful in our lives than choosing to embrace silence and tune our ears to the sound of our shepherd who longs to lead us. Eagerly anticipating His wisdom and guidance. Running toward Him with excitement because we are confident He knows what is best for us and He alone truly satisfies our soul.
“Father what a blessing to hear Your voice, to draw near to You and lean into Your wisdom.”
For His Glory
Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life
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