9月17日靈修禱文|DEVOTION

September 17th, 2020

But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

John 10:2-5

Thought

"The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.". The verses here point out the position of the shepherd. The sheeps heard the shepherd’s voice, the sheeps heard the shepherd’s call and responded, the sheeps followed the shepherd closely, and the sheeps knew that this was the shepherd’s voice. Finally in verse 11, the Lord Jesus said he was the shepherd. Hence, the sheeps heard the voice of Jesus and responded because the sheeps recognized the voice of the shepherd. It was the sheeps' own response to the presence of the Lord, so they walked out and followed him closely. The sheeps did not hold an internal meeting to discuss the direction they wanted to go, but the voice of the Lord Jesus called upon them in their hearts, so the sheeps took actions. Therefore, the point is that sheeps learn to listen and learn to respond. This is how I feel as a pastor. Although I am a pastor, I am not a real shepherd. At best, I am just a person behind the shephard. The real shepherd is the Lord Jesus. Yet, it was the sheeps who heard the Lord Jesus, but not me (the pastor) asking them to respond. So what we have to learn is to be keen on the Lord’s voice, to listen and understand what the Lord’s will is, and then act to truly follow the shepherd.

Prayer

Lord! May your voice come to us clearly, so that we can truly know your will. We can easily deviate from you for various reasons, but we sincerely long for your presence. Through your voice we walk your way so as not to deviate from your right or left. Amen!

Rev. Alan Lam

他的聲音...呼喚自己的羊....他把自己的羊聚集在一起....羊跟著他....羊群熟悉他的聲音。

約翰福音 10:2-5

思想

「他的聲音...呼喚自己的羊....他把自己的羊聚集在一起....羊跟著他....羊群熟悉他的聲音。」這裡的幾節經文點出了牧羊人的位份。是羊聽到牧羊人的聲音，是羊自己聽見牧羊人的呼喚去回應，是羊緊緊跟隨牧羊人，也是羊知道這是牧羊人的聲音。最後在11節，主耶穌說他就是牧羊人。所以，羊是聽見耶穌的聲音所以回應，因為羊群明白了這牧羊人的聲音。是羊自己的回應，也是羊對主的臨在，自己便行出來緊緊地跟隨他。不是羊內部自己開會討論定自己要行的方向，而是主耶穌的聲音在內心中帶出的呼喚，所以羊便有行動。所以重點是羊學識聽和學識去回應。這是我作牧者的感受。雖然我是牧者，但我不是真正的牧羊人, 充其量只是跟在後面的一個人，真正的牧者是主耶穌。然而，是羊聽見主耶穌, 不是我(牧者), 他們去回應。所以我們要學就是敏銳主的聲音，去聆聽明白主的心意如何，才去行動來真真正正跟隨牧羊人。