October 1, 2020 -- John 10:27 -- The Best Loved Voice

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27 English Standard Version

Some 34 years ago my opa, that is the Dutch word for grandfather, passed away. He was in his nineties. He lived in the Netherlands and we lived in Canada. My dad and my aunt decided to host a family dinner of remembrance since the family could not go to the Netherlands for the funeral. (It is hard for many of us to imagine today, but there was no access to things like Zoom or Skype. Even making phone calls was still ridiculously expensive!) I distinctly remember one or two conversations with my aunt. These moved me to write a condolence card and in it I included this verse.

There is something so distinctive about a voice. I can remember opa’s voice. The particular timbre of it, a raspiness that was acquired after decades of smoking his favorite cigars. My point is that we can recognize a love one’s voice very easily. Even in a crowd we can hear a laugh or hear a snippet of conversation and say to ourselves, “That’s wife’s voice”! Love increases our sensitive receptivity to hearing the voice in any place.

The point Jesus is making is this, His followers learn to hear His voice. His sheep love His voice. We are comforted by His voice. We are guided to safety. We are assured of our Father’s great love. We hear His voice distinctly in the Bible. The Gospels give His biography and explain His work of bringing glory to God and salvation to the people of God. More than this, we hear Jesus speaking most clearly. Even so, the Psalms declare Him—the King Who would reign. And we learn of Jesus. The more we know the more our hearts learn the timbre of His voice. The Spirit of God within us quickens us, delights in bringing to us intimate knowledge of Jesus and His voice. The Old Testament books of the Bible teach us of Jesus—the King, the Prophet, the Priest—and He is better than all the shadows that pointed to His perfections. The New Testament fills out our knowledge of His voice’s color and accent.

When we close our eyes in death, we have this sure and glorious expectation, we will hear our Savior’s voice. The Shepherd of our souls will speak and we shall have the thrill of hearing His voice in clearer tones than we’ve ever heard before. We shall thrill at His voice and our souls shall cry out: “The voice of Him I love!”

Blessed Jesus—pour out Your Spirit so that we can ever more clearly discern Your voice above all the noises and dissonant clanging of this dark time. By Your Word and Spirit lead us, Good Shepherd, to our eternal home in the brilliant presence of our Father. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoKDu6HbyRY