Day Five
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
Many species of birds migrate to warmer climates in the wintertime but Sandhill Cranes like foggy, damp grasslands and marshes. They scatter throughout the day to feed on grains, but when they return to roost in the evening they are often in large flocks.
Sometimes people mistake them for herons: however, the cranes cannot grip branches with their toes so they need to nest on the ground.
If you begin to come close to a Sandhill Crane, he will stretch out his neck as a warning sign. And while you are busy watching him, he is listening very carefully to you.
Cranes use their trilled cry to find the other members of their family. They can reunite within each flock, no matter how large, by calling out to each other.
Jesus tells us, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” And He means each of us. We each belong to Him as a member of His family, and He can identify each of our voices. He never mistakes one of us for another. He always listens for our call.
And when we spend time talking to Jesus in our prayers and thoughts, we begin to recognize His voice too.
Sometimes it’s hard to hear even the people we know best because our world is so noisy. So is a large flock of birds all calling out at the same time. But if we practice listening, as the cranes do, we will improve our hearing. And we will learn not to mistake Jesus’ words for someone else’s.
Action
1. When a friend telephones you or emails you, how do you know it’s them before they say their name or if their name doesn’t show up?
2. Can you tell what kind of mood your family members are in because of their tone of voice?
3. Practice listening for different voice characteristics this week.
Read More
John 10:1-5
John 10:13-16
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