A New Devotion - The Sheep Will Still Hear

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page. 

John 10:19-30

Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?" Others were saying, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."

The Sheep Will Still Hear

Our world can be discouraging for Christians, especially those living in our society. I mean, we try to share the love of God through our words and our actions. And yet, in spite of our best efforts, we seem to fall short. In other words, our message just doesn’t seem to be received. Of course, the reasons for that vary from person to person. For example, some believers have Christianized a false gospel that equates whatever they believe with truth. And so, if you share anything that runs counter their beliefs, you’re called a liar or worse, even if what you’re saying is supported by both scripture and common sense. Now that’s a problem. And so are all those Christians who’ve forgotten that the Good News isn’t grounded in a book of ecclesiastical laws or minute details of worship, a position that often results in a disconnect between showing compassion to others and obeying the rules. No, sharing the love of God and the grace of Christ can be both frustrating and discouraging.

But before we give up, I think it’s important to remember the words of Jesus Christ when he said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” You see, even though our frustration and discouragement is real, we serve a God who’s greater than us, one who is always working. And his word will still resonate despite those who define the Christian faith by what’s most comfortable and who squeeze the gospel into a structure that seems more focused on preserving itself than in doing any actual good. In other words, what God is doing is greater than us, and even though we might be ready to give up, the sheep will still hear.