Listening

Many times I will ask JT a question and he has zoned out. And, it's not really that he has zoned out. Rather, my voice is unimportant to him at that time. So, I then say something like this, "OK, I guess I won't tell you the secret." Or, "Never mind, I will give Caitlin the prize." In that instant he normally says, "yes, daddy." Then, my voice becomes important. And, he always knew my voice. He heard it but he wasn't in the mood to listen -- the penguins of madagascar were on :).

Jesus says about himself (the shepherd) in John 10: 3 & 4 "and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." And, in Rev. 3:20 he says, " “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

He knows us by name and we know his voice. But, when we hear his voice, we have to open the door. To put it another way, those of us that are Christ followers can choose to be in a close relationship with Jesus -- sharing a "meal" with him as friends do -- or we can choose to remain luke warm. All Christ followers can hear him. Not all pay close enough attention to listen to him. We fill our days to the brim and have no built in down time. Then, we make decision from the hip instead of from the Shepherd's voice. The choice is mine -- yours. Will you make time to be still -- even five minutes in the morning and five in the afternoon to listen? Or, will we be like JT and to busy watching penguins that we miss the Shepherd?