Rhythms of FaithNäide

OUR DUTY AND OUR DELIGHT

To hear, to be known, and to follow are our threefold duty and delight under the Good Shepherd. Jesus shepherds us well by making these actions clear to us.

Clarity is needed because sheep are not the brightest creatures around and because other voices call to them. Any entity that would lead us astray from the voice and way of Christ is an echo of the twisted voice from the garden (Genesis 3:1–7) who shepherded the first humans away from life with God into a life of death.

The apostle Peter tells us the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8, ESV). This is frightening news for sheep. However, the enemy’s playbook is small. The devouring he attempts is something as old as Adam, and it’s primarily a move of subtle deception. Sheep meet their downfall when the enemy steals and destroys by drowning out the voice of the Shepherd.

In The Land and the Book, William M. Thomson writes, “The shepherd calls sharply from time to time, to re­mind them of his presence. They know his voice, and follow on; but, if a stranger call, they stop short, lift their heads in alarm, and if it is repeated, they turn and flee, because they know not the voice of a stranger.”

Our task as sheep, then, is to train our ears to know the Shepherd’s voice. You can condition your ears to hear the voice of God in Scripture by studying what faithful Christians through the ages have believed and why. This will help you discern truth from error by learning from a neglected part of the flock—our spiritual forebearers. Another option is to read Scripture with believers from different cultures and back­grounds to train your ears to distinguish between what is of Christ and what may be cultural presumptions. (If this isn’t possible where you live, try using a Global Study Bible to read Scripture.) In this hearing, Jesus will shepherd you by the hand and by the heart so that no trial, no enemy, no evil, and no failure can steal you from his hands.

What challenges are you facing today? What truths about Jesus as the Good Shepherd speak to your situation? What truths do you most need to rest in and draw strength from right now?