March 7
Bible Reading: John 10:19-27
John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
The headline described the tragedy this way: “450 sheep leap to their deaths in Turkey.” The article explained what happened. In July 2005, in the Turkish village of Gevas, one sheep went over the cliff, enticing nearly fifteen hundred others to follow. By the time 450 died, the pile of sheep carcasses at the bottom of the cliff grew large enough to cushion the fall for the rest. Hundreds of sheep died. It was a heartbreaking loss for the 26 families, each possessing, on average, 20 sheep. Collectively, they lost about $100,000 worth of sheep.
What were those sheep thinking? They weren’t! They were sheep doing a stupid thing, something sheep are prone to do. Their experience reminds us that we humans are prone to sheep-like behavior, walking on a broad path that leads to destruction, lest God intervene to put us on a better and safer path (Matthew 7:13-14).
Their experience also begs the question, “Who are we listening to?” We’ve choices in the matter. We can listen to ourselves, or we can listen to what others tell us to think or do. One sheep jumped, and all the rest did the same! Or we can listen to the Good Shepherd who came to rescue us from ourselves and lead us in a better way and to a better place.
How precious, then, are ears tuned to listen and respond to the Master’s voice? One cannot work to improve their own spiritual hearing. There are no hearing aids on earth that can avail such a blessing! It is Jesus alone who can restore a wayward sheep to His flock and grant them ears tuned to His voice (1 Peter 2:25). The book of Revelation speaks of the unveiling of Christ in his return. Much trouble is soon to visit this planet. In that context we are reminded of how important it is to have ears to hear: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3)!
It is a distinguishing characteristic of those that belong to Christ that they possess ears to hear His voice and hearts to follow His lead. Do you have ears tuned to hear the Master’s Voice? Praise God for that! Blessed are those who hear!
“Follow Christ, not the crowd.”
TRUST AND OBEY
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]
But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 