“The sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:4)
In this passage, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. This reminds us of Psalm 23, where David begins by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” As a good shepherd, Jesus says that he calls his sheep by name and that they follow him into the sheep pen. However, they are not stuck in the pen, but can confidently come in and out of the pen and find safe pasture. These sheep follow him because they know his voice.
While this passage isn’t specifically about prayer, I think that it gives us much to consider about our relationship with Jesus. Do we recognize his voice? Do we live in safety? Do we experience the abundant life that he promises in verse 10?
One way to hear God’s voice is through prayer. You can pray with confidence because he knows your name. As a shepherd, he assumes responsibility for your care. He knows everything about you – he loves and cares for you, and he does it perfectly. In the last verse of this passage, he says that “a good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” He has already shown that he is the good shepherd because he did die for his sheep. Enjoy the abundant life that he has provided for you and approach him in prayer with confidence, because he is able to provide all your needs.