By Kristin Molitor
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.” ~ Psalm 34:6
The image of a little sheep following the Good Shepherd’s voice is an image I reflect upon often and one that I treasure deep in my heart. This image tenderly illustrates both my relationship with Jesus and His particular call on my life to help people to hear His voice.
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
There is no greater joy in life than discovering the voice of the Good Shepherd who calls us by name and speaks His Words of Life into our souls. This is the voice that leads us to the waters of rest to restore our souls. This is the voice we meditate upon day and night. This is the voice that leads us to everlasting life.
Sometimes life’s storms can make it difficult to hear the voice of the Shepherd. The thunder crashes, the lightning strikes, the rain pelts, and we panic as the Shepherd’s voice can no longer be heard and His staff no longer spotted. “Where did He go?” we wonder with panic. “Did He go right or left? How can I follow Him if I can’t see or hear him? What should I do?”
When we find ourselves in the eye of the storm while the wolves are nipping at our feet, we need to stop striving to find the Shepherd. We need to be still and let Him find us instead.
The Good Shepherd Knows our Voice
While we frantically strive to find the Shepherd and hear His voice, He is already attentively listening to our cries, ready to find us and rescue us when we call out.
Carries the Lambs in His Arms
When we cry out to the Good Shepherd in faith, when we cease striving and surrender to Him, the Good Shepherd gathers us in His arms and carries us through the storm. He knows that the howling wind and treacherous thunder make it impossible to hear Him. He knows that we easily get lost when we follow behind Him in the storm. That’s why He needs to carry us through it.
When we abide in the arms of the Shepherd, we can hear Him once again. In the storm, it’s not enough to hear His voice. We need to hear His Heart. Like John, the Beloved Disciple, we have to lay our head against the chest of the Shepherd to listen to His steady heartbeat so we can stay steady in the storm.
Nothing to Fear
We needn’t fear when we cannot hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. He has not lost sight of us. He is listening to our cries and will carry us through the storm.
Prayer
“Be still, and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10
Call to Action
Is there a storm you are trying to weather alone in your life? Surrender this area to the Lord and ask Him to carry you through.
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What an absolutely, beautifully written reminder! It resonates with me on so many levels. I, also, view myself both as a little lamb, listening to my Shepherd’s voice, and as the beloved disciple listening to the heartbeat of my Redeemer. I have written six children’s book, including “Mary and the Little Lamb”. Actually, the Lord is the author. I am merely the pencil.
Thank you for an incredible article. I can think of times in my life where this would have been so helpful to meditate upon. I am going to save your wringing today so I can reflect on it from time to time.