The Shepherd and His Sheep PT. 2 | Anchored in Hope Devotions

In Biblical times, sheep were often put into a sheepfold or an enclosed area especially at night for their protection, and there was only one gate to the sheepfold. There could be more than one flock of sheep in that enclosed area.

So, when the shepherd would go to get his flock, he would go to the gate, and by his voice only his flock would follow him.

In John 10:3-5 Jesus is speaking, and He says the sheep hear the shepherd's voice, and he calls them by their name. The sheep follow only their shepherd and will not follow a stranger.

This fact about sheep is still true today.

In John 10:14 Jesus states I know my sheep, and they know me. In verse 16 of the same chapter, He says His sheep know their Shepherd’s voice.

We know His voice because, as believers, we have the Holy Spirit within us and His Word, the Bible, to guide us. God uses His Word with the leading of the Holy Spirit to give us direction and guidance as we walk with Him.

Also, as we pray to God, we are assured that He hears our prayers and will answer us. His answers are never too early or too late.

In our culture today there are so many voices, even some saying they are Christians. We discern if what they say is true by going back to what God says.

I have a friend who said that when her children would have a question about what to believe, the standard answer was “what does God say.”

Jesus said He was the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE and that no one could come to the Father but by Him. Throughout the Bible, God’s Word is often referred to as truth. That is how we know the voice of Jesus.

Final thought - For true believers, we like sheep need protection and guidance, and we know we have a wonderful loving Great Shepherd who willingly laid down His life for us. But the news gets better because He arose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father watching over His sheep. Someday we will get to be with Him, our Shepherd, for all eternity.

- Sherry Meyer