Hearing Christ, Not Chaos

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled, Hearing Christ, Not Chaos, was written by Patricia Rabin. After watching TV news for hours each day, the elderly man grew agitated and anxious, worried the world was falling apart and taking him with it. Please turn it off. His grown daughter begged him, just stop listening.

But the man continued to spend an excessive amount of time on social media and other news sources. What we listen to matters deeply. We see this in Jesus' encounter with Pontius Pilate in John Chapter 18. Responding to criminal charges brought against Jesus by religious leaders, Pilate summoned him and asked, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus replied with a stunning question. Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?

The same question tests us. In a world of panic, are we listening to chaos or to Christ? Indeed, my sheep listened to my voice, he said, I know them and they follow me. Jesus used this figure of speech to explain himself to doubting religious leaders. As with a good shepherd, he said that his sheep follow him because they know his voice, but they will never follow a stranger.

In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. As our good shepherd, Jesus bids us to hear him above all. May we listen well and find his peace.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John Chapter 10, Verses 1-6, and Verse 27. Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he is brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice, but they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. And now, Verse 27, my sheep listen to my voice.

I know them and they follow me. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, this world has a lot of noise in it.

Noise that touches our hearts, our minds, and our spirits. But through your scripture, through your word, God, we can hear you. Help us to hear you over everything and rest in your voice. In your name we pray, amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries.