BH Bulletin - Wednesday 1 July 2020

Thought for the Day by Phil Washington (BH Member)

​                       A voice we know
‘My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me’ John 10:27
 
The 10th chapter of the Gospel of John is one of the most glorious chapters in the Bible. Our NIV versions entitle it ‘The Good Shepherd and His Sheep’. In it’s context, Jesus has just shown the religious leaders of the day that they were, in fact, blind to the true work of God. These so called ‘religious experts’ had failed to recognise that God, the true shepherd of Israel was standing before them – speaking to them. They didn’t ‘hear’ His voice, calling them to repentance, faith and new life. How utterly tragic.
 
But what of those who did ‘hear’ His voice? How utterly glorious for them. ‘I will give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one will be able to snatch them out of my hand’ (v28). What comfort, what truth to ponder.
 
As you listen to the voice of Jesus speaking in the Bible, do you recognise it? Is there something deep within your soul that knows, really knows it to be the voice your Shepherd and Lord? Yes? Then obey it’s call to follow, to trust and to obey. And if you hear a voice, that claims to be your shepherd, but you don’t recognise it – then run from it. There were (and still are) many ‘false shepherds’ and ‘false teachers’. There are those who desire to ‘snatch us out of the Lord’s hand’ – this world is not a safe place for the Lord’s sheep. So, stay close to Him, rest in His care, respond with thanks for His rod of discipline, and stick to the path marked out in the Bible. It’s steep and narrow, but it leads to Life.
Phil

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