"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" John 10:27

July 5th: "My sheep hear My voice," John 10:27a
Jesus makes a statement here that has riveted me for many years: "My sheep hear My voice..." He doesn't say "My sheep might hear my voice" or "My sheep can hear My voice" or "My sheep have My permission to hear My voice." Instead Jesus says, as a statement of fact, "My sheep hear my voice." The Greek language leaves no doubt that Jesus provides the Way to hear from God Himself. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son..."
Since the beginning of time all of humanity has longed for something bigger than ourselves and that something is actually a someOne: the God that created us. We have the opportunity every day to get to know the God that not only created us but also wants us to live with Him forever (Ezekiel 33:11). Our big challenge is us...we have our ears so filled with earthly 'noise' that consumes our attention and drowns out His life giving voice. We must seek Him daily and beg Him continually to open ours ears to His voice. Like most other things in life, hearing His voice takes practice (Hebrews 10:14). As humans we're prone to take the easy way and yet most of us understand that any relationship takes hard work and lots of communication. There is no easy way to learn to hear His voice. The only question is how badly we want to hear from Him. Do you know Him? Do you want to know Him? We only need to open His Word and ask the very God Who said "Let there be" and the world was, to open our ears to His hear His voice.
"Father please open our ears to hear Your voice. Forgive us for allowing so much noise to take the place of Your voice. Please make us a people who seek you daily. O God please make us a people after your own heart; a people who learn to hear and learn to obey all we hear. All to the end, gracious King, that we might know You and Jesus Whom You've sent. In Jesus name, Amen."