⁴ When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:4 CSB)

I grew up during the big CB heyday. Oh, you mean you have no idea what I am talking about. CB, Citizens Band radio…you know, “10-4 good buddy”. If you still don’t know! Go back and watch some 80’s movies like “Smokey and The Bandit.”

Anyhow, I had a chuckle this morning that a verse focused on listening is a 10-4 verse. In radio lingo 10-4 means “Message Received, OK, Acknowledged”. It lets the person on the other end know you understood what they were saying. This is used because radio signals are not 100% reliable. Many things can interfere with a radio signal.

I have never been one who hears God clearly. I can look back on my life and see where His hand has been heavy upon me. I can see answers to prayers I did not even know I prayed. Yes, I can clearly see God’s work in my life. However, it has always seemed that when I was looking for a specific answer they were not necessarily clearly forthcoming. This never meant that God was not responding, but typically I was not hearing His voice clearly due to my on inability to do so. Typically I was waiting on a direct answer to an indirect question.

But I know that I hear The Shepherd’s voice, because I can see the outcome of His hand in my life. I wish, like others seem to, I got His answers more clearly and directly. However, I think that He wants me to focus on His outcomes more than my understanding. He wants me ever digging for the right answers and trusting. He wants me spending quiet time alone with Him so I might hear more clearly.