We used to feed some outside cats. That practice got started innocently enough. A couple of cute little kittens wandered up, so hubby felt sorry for them and started feeding them. After a while, he wanted to quit feeding them, but it was winter, so I asked him to keep putting out food till spring. Then it was winter again and the cats had more kittens.
The outside cats didn’t have names and they scattered when the back door was opened. If you tried to call them, they ran out of the yard. Since hubby fed them, you would think he could get close to them, but they were too wild. They should have been named, held, touched, petted, and talked to when they were babies, like we did with our indoor cat, Sassy, or rather, Kitty.
Jesus said in John 10:3-4, “. . .the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name. . . And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
Just like my indoor cat has become familiar with my voice by being around me, I have become familiar with Jesus’ voice, by hearing Him speak through His Word, the Bible. Some might think this is strange, that I say, “I hear Jesus speak and I know His voice,” but I have been listening for His voice since I was a baby Christian.
Spending time reading the Bible and talking to the Lord gives me a relationship with Him. When He speaks through His Word, I hear Him. When I speak to Him, His ear is open to my prayer and He pays attention.
In John 10:14 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
Jesus is my Good Shepherd and He calls me by my name.