"When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
- John 10:4,5

Picture sheep straining to hear one certain voice among others. Upon identifying that voice they are now willing to move out of the safety of their night quarters and gather around their shepherd.
 
The sheep will never follow a stranger. Now we know by painful experience that human beings do not all follow Jesus and some consider His voice an irritant, an intrusion. So how can we say, "His sheep follow Him because they know His voice?" Many parents have . . .

"When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
- John 10:4,5

Picture sheep straining to hear one certain voice among others. Upon identifying that voice they are now willing to move out of the safety of their night quarters and gather around their shepherd.
 
The sheep will never follow a stranger. Now we know by painful experience that human beings do not all follow Jesus and some consider His voice an irritant, an intrusion. So how can we say, "His sheep follow Him because they know His voice?" Many parents have raised their children to be God fearing, only to watch them take a path in life which veers away from the LORD Jesus and His flock.
 
Sheep are not all equally strong; they can get lost and scatter hither and yon, wounded, sick and weak. He does not reject them for that reason but actually gives more attention to them and also care for them more diligently than He does for the others who have no faults And for all this we can do nothing at all but only lend our ears, hear, and with thanksgiving receive the inexpressible treasure, and learn to know will the voice of our Shepherd, follow Him, and avoid the voice of the stranger.
 
Christian friends, This is a blessed life, not anxious to see far in front, nor careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, nor weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following  behind the Shepherd, one step at a time. HE GOES BEFORE! And therefore all is well.
 
"God is in every tomorrow,
Therefore I live for today,
Certain of finding at sunrise,
Guidance and strength for the way;
Power for each moment of weakness,
Hope for each moment of pain,
Comfort for every sorrow,
Sunshine and joy after rain."
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - The Lamb who died to save us is also the Shepherd who lives to lead us.