My Sheep Recognize My Voice
I am encouraged by the fact that King David was a pretty messed-up guy. But he was a messed-up guy who cried out to and for God. In my book, Philemon: Reflections on Christian Maturity, I share Cheryl Goddard’s definition of marriage. Marriage, says Cheryl, is two dysfunctional people who refuse to give up on each other.
Who is Cheryl Goddard? She is Cheryl Goddard Cooper, the wife of the famous Rock ’n Roll shock-jock, Alice Cooper. There is a great interview with the two of them on YouTube. You should definitely check it out.
By the way, Sherri and I saw Alice Cooper in Montgomery, Alabama, last week. Still rocking at 75 years of age!!
Let’s be honest; we are all broken people. Some of us are just a bit cracked. Others are missing a few pieces. But we are all broken in some way.
That is why we need a shepherd. Psalm 23 describes our Divine Shepherd. I know of no other passage in the Bible in which the heart of God and the life of God beats more clearly, more deeply. This is what makes this psalm so personal and powerful to us. It is the perfect picture of our relationship with the one who called Himself the Great Shepherd, the Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.
“I know my sheep,” says Jesus, “and they know me; they recognize my voice.”
I want to ask you a deeply personal question - do you recognize the voice of Jesus in your life?
I love Dallas Willard’s book, Hearing God. I highly recommend it. In the opening chapter, Dallas tells the story of his godly grandmother, who he simply calls “Meemaw.” After a church service in which the pastor shared with the congregation a word he had heard from God, Meemaw sat quietly, deep in thought, during the family’s Sunday dinner. After a while, she spoke saying, “I wonder why I’ve never heard God speak that clearly to me.”
It’s a great introduction to a book that helps followers of Jesus learn how to recognize their Lord’s voice in their daily lives. Again, I highly recommend it.
By the way, I recommend my book, Philemon: Reflections on Christian Maturity, as well. It comes out this Friday on Kindle through Amazon. Understanding what genuine spiritual maturity is is vital in these days of comfortable, cultural Christianity. And by the way, the book is designed for both individual reflection and group discussion. Taking time to reflect and meditate, as well as share our lives with other followers of Jesus, is an indispensable part of growing in Christ.
In Christ,
Dan
Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.