My goal in these 21 Days of Love posts is to share a succinct application concerning how to lovingly obey Jesus each day. I encourage the IWU students taking the 21 day journey through John's Gospel with me to dig as deep into Scripture as time allows and to post your thoughts with mine.
Jesus says, "My sheep recognize my voice; I know them and they follow me" (v 27). I don't know of a more succinct verse that encapsulates what it means to be a
Christian than this one. There are so many competing voices floating around in my head. There is the voice of my culture encouraging me toward narcissism and apathy. Then, there is the voice that surfaces from within me. This voice tells me to protect myself, to stay guarded, to play life safe, to resist the urge to give all I have to Christ and his purposes. And, finally, there is the voice of Christ calling me to deny myself, take up my cross and follow him. The voice of Christ calls me beyond myself to the needs of others. His voice calls me to risk vulnerability and pain by loving all and loving deeply. His voice calls me to give sacrificially and pray fervently. His voice calls me to optimistically believe in his power and love to accomplish the impossible, at times through me.
Jesus, today I will discren your voice among the voices and follow you lovingly. Amen!
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