Lead Me Father

Lead Me Father

John 10:27-28 KJV

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Following requires being led, requires hearing the voice of the one leading, recognizing that voice and accepting what is being said by that voice.

Many voices clamor for followers, claiming to be THE voice that should be heard, claiming domination over the hearer, claiming the right to lead in the direction that would best suit the needs of the ones being led.

While the clamor of those voices clash, and the direction chosen by them in which to lead are divergent, and oppositional paths, that both claim to be the means to the better destination, better pastures, clearer and cleaner waters, better shelter from the storms that assail us along the journey they would lead us on, there is ONE VOICE that calmly and surely, speaks in tones only heard by those who recognize that voice as the true leader, true shepherd, with only the interest of those being led at heart leading in a direction away from the slaughterhouse instead of toward it as do the ones that clamor so loudly.

The  song used as title for today’s dissertation expresses the desire to hear and echo that voice amid the clamor of those other voices that are so more readily heard and accepted by so many today.

Lead Me Father

Written and recorded by Johnny Cash

When my hands are tired and my step is slow
Walk beside me and give me the strength to go
Fill my face with your courage so defeat won't show
Pick me up when I stumble so the world won't know

Lead me Father with the staff of life
Give me the strength for a song
That the words I sing might more strength bring
To help some poor troubled weary worker along

              
When my way is light but I still can’t see
With a strong hand strike out the blindness in me
Show me work that I should carry on for Thee
Make my way straight and narrow like you want it to be

Each of the requests given within the words of this song have long been answered, long been granted and remain undeniable to those listening closely enough to hear that single VOICE.

That very VOICE forewarned us of the other voices that clamor, and the results of listening to those voices.

 John 10King James Version (KJV)

10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

² But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

³ To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

⁴ And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

⁶ This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

¹² But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

¹³ The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

¹⁷ Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

¹⁸ No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

¹⁹ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

²⁰ And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

²¹ Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

²² And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

²³ And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

²⁴ Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

²⁵ Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

²⁶ But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

³⁰ I and my Father are one.

³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

³² Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

³³ The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

³⁴ Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

³⁵ If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

³⁶ Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

³⁷ If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

³⁸ But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Being led by the Father requires being led by the Son. Hearing the voice of the Father requires hearing the voice of the Son and following that voice with the certainty and assurance that come only with that single voice that leads the Way, speaks the Truth of that Way that leads to Life rather than to the slaughterhouse that is the only destination provided by those other voices leading in so many other directions.

Each of those other voices would enter the fold by their own means for their own purposes, those purposes apparent to those having listened carefully enough to recognize the falsity of their clamor and refuse to be led away from the voice that so calmly and lovingly gives the direction and protection of the Shepherd.

Those hirelings clamoring the loudest may get more attention, may attract many followers, may provide temporary and false assurance, but are destined to flee in the face of the dangers they themselves create and lead others to.

Their lack of care, consideration and love for those they would lead is apparent only to those who hear and follow the voice of Christ Jesus despite their clamor to follow them in their pursuit of some other way, a way that refuses to recognize truth and has no respect for life other than that held temporarily by themselves.

Jesus remains at the door, remains the door itself. Jesus remains the only Way, TRUTH and LIFE, and the voice of all three to those who would take the time to listen to the whisper instead of the clamor.

Amen and Amen

CMc