My Sheep Hear My Voice

Jn. 10:27-30

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is

greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

What a loaded passage! So many wonderful blessings and statements!

• I am a sheep by nature. I need a shepherd, someone to guide, lead, protect, and feed me.
• I am His sheep because I know His voice. He knows me. I follow Him, and the Father has given me to Jesus. Certainly, there is no doubt about my ownership!
• I was given eternal life and will never perish. What a gift for a mere sheep! But it is because I am a sheep that it must be given to me. I cannot in myself ever earn it or deserve it. My 'sheep' nature makes me wayward and foolish, but thankfully, this gift changes my nature.
• I am unsnatchable! I can not be taken out of Jesus' hand nor the Father's hand. Nothing or no one will ever take them by surprise. No matter where I go as a foolish sheep, I will always be within the hand of God.
• I hear, recognize, and follow the voice of Jesus, the Son of God. Wow! That is definitely a change in nature!
• The Father is greater than all. He is God almighty. He has chosen me, and His hand encases me. What a glorious relationship we have!
• Because Jesus and the Father are one, I am held securely in both of their hands. They both have an intimate relationship with me that includes a plan and a protection for my 'sheepish' life.

For those men who were there that day, it was somewhat insulting. Jesus told them bluntly that there were not of His flock. They were not securely in His hand  nor did they know and recognize His voice. Their religion or self-righteousness did not provide an entrance to the sheep fold. What was their response? They picked up rocks to stone Him! They felt He was blasphemous because He claimed to be God. How eternally wrong they were!

Father,

As I read Your words this morning, my heart is stirred with joy at being one of Your sheep, of being chosen, of knowing personally the voice of God, and of being unsnatchable! Thank You. Thank You.

In the name of my Shepherd,

Amen