“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Jn. 10:27-28
Lord Jesus, as you know—because you do know all things, 7 days a week, I put in my Apple Pro noise-canceling earbuds, with a hope of walking 7 miles every day. That’s not a boast, but a post-being-able-run, biking’s-too-dangerous way of getting some exercise for my aging body. It’s also a thanks. Thank you that I can still walk, Lord. You know the sadness I felt when my knees stopped giving me permission to jog.
Way more importantly, walking has become a concentrated time of hearing your voice through the read, taught, preached Word, and by music that fills my heart with the grace, truth, and riches of the Gospel. It also gives me a chance to call, encourage, and pray for friends; and receive their encouragement in the Gospel as well.
Because of the noise-canceling feature, it’s wonderful what I don’t hear. I tune out of the madness of voices that just want to sell me something—material stuff, an ideology, pet peeve, gripe or “snake oil.” The devil is always trying to get me (us) to tie my identity to something other than You, the Gospel, and your will/provision for my life.
Lord Jesus, long after I can’t walk very far, I want to hear your voice 1000 times more clearly than all others. So very Amen we pray, in your glorious and grace-full name.
