Who is Jesus? #162

Ten Things Jesus Knows About You

(Last One)

Are You Listening?

I wonder if there is anything more comforting than the fact that Jesus knows those who are His. I guess it is not very comforting for those who are not His. He knows if I am really His or not. Just as a shepherd knows all of his sheep, Jesus, as the Great Shepherd, knows His sheep. He knows if we are following Him or not.  He knows if we are listening or not. He knows if we respond when He calls our name.

It is my understanding that ancient shepherds actually knew each one of their sheep by name and could call them and they would come to him. There he would show them affection and tend to any injuries they might have sustained.

John 10:27

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jesus has much to say to His sheep. However, there is so much noise out there one has to wonder if we are even able to hear him. Somehow we need to adjust the decibels of the world so we can actually tune in to Jesus. It's really not a matter of hearing what He is saying as it is hearing Him call our name. We need to hear Him call and then listen to His instructions.

We also have developed a “Pick-and-Choose” mindset. We can choose what we watch on television and ignore the things we really don’t like. We put the smorgasbord of life out there in front of us and pick the stuff that makes us happy for the moment and everything else is left behind.

This has impacted our “listening” to Jesus. We accept the things we really like to hear and fit what we are doing, and leave on the table what we perceive as less palatable and stretches our comfort zone.

“Love one another.” We like that one – especially when we are the recipients of that love.

“Come follow me.” That is another matter. Just where are you taking me, Jesus? You know, I’ve already got my life planned out and I am not sure that where you are wanting to lead me is on my road map.

“Go,” “Give,” “Sacrifice,” “Love Your Enemy,” “Believe,” and other instructions comes from the lips of the Shepherd but do not garner much attention.

How about when He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Pretty narrow minded there Jesus. He doesn't ask for our commentary on what He said, He just asks us to listen.

That’s how He knows we are His, if we “listen” to His voice.

Are you listening?