John 10:27-28 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

This is an enormously comforting passage for those suffering persecution for their faith, but it is also a cautionary passage for “cultural Christians.” It indeed teaches eternal security for those who are committed to Christ, but it also makes it clear that if you aren’t distinguishing what He says to you, with the intention of sticking with Him, then He’s going to say, “Depart from me; I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23) at the Last Judgment. That should give anyone pause! I’m reminded of how one child mis-heard the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven, how do you know my name?” That’s a valid question, considering our weak grasp of God’s omnipotence, and here Jesus is assuring us that He indeed knows us, better than we know ourselves, as a matter of fact. For any child of God … that is, anyone who has repented of their sins and honestly chosen to follow Christ as Lord … this passage is insulation against and comfort in any attack, not matter how severe.

I have no question that I am a child of God, but that doesn’t give me room to be complacent. I indeed recognize His voice, but I must be careful that I don’t ignore it, but rather follow regardless of the difficulties. He will never lead me to anything He won’t lead me through, so I am not to hesitate to follow. I get tied in knots over all sorts of things, but that shows the shallowness of my faith and my lack of focus. If I am fully grounded in Christ, why would anything get to me? However, God knows my weakness better than I do, and He loves me anyway! As He’s been telling me for a year and a half now, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in His love, grace, and plans for me.

Father, I berate myself at times when You aren’t berating me. Forgive me. Thank You for the lessons You teach me, and for the awareness that I am learning, though not nearly as quickly as I would like. Help me extend to others the same grace and patience You have poured out on me, which is to say, never in pride but in profound gratefulness. Help me be both consistent and effective in pointing people to You, so that as many as possible may walk in the liberty of Your Spirit, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!