“But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice … Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep … I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture… I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly… I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep … I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” (Selected Verses, John 10, NASB Bible).
At the speaking of our name, we will usually turn with attentive interest. If the person speaking our name is someone connected by a relationship, they will have a distinctive way of speaking our name. We instantly recognize the subtle manner and tender tone they use when they are speaking to us. We all have had the privilege of hearing our name spoken in some form of formal or informal recognition or appreciation of our contributions, efforts, and character.
We have all had our names spoken out in other ways, as well. We have all felt the sting of hearing our name during a rebuke or chastisement. We have all heard our name used sharply when someone is angry at us and most of us have heard our name disrespected through mocking forms of intentional disregard.
Of all the occasions where our name is spoken, there is one place and in one relationship where our name is spoken that is truly extraordinary. There is nothing so tender or as soothing to our very soul as when our gracious and loving “Good Shepherd” speaks our name. At His speaking of our name, we can always turn and find the same caring love beckoning us to come to Him. At His speaking of our name, we know we can follow our Shepherd with complete trust. At His speaking of our name, we know He will take us to places of spiritual nourishment. At His speaking of our name, we know we are forever saved by His intentional and purposeful giving of His life for us. We know we are blessed by His grace at His speaking of our name.
Beyond all the fond and attentive care our Savior and Shepherd will lavish on us as the “Sheep of His Pasture” and the soulfully connected affectionate way He has called us by name during our time on earth … will be the moment He speaks our name as He welcomes us to the eternal place, He has prepared for us. At this eternal juncture of the speaking of our name … we will experience something beyond anything we can imagine, as we will hear our name spoken for the first time by our Lord for all eternity. All praise and thanksgiving be unto Jesus Christ our Lord our Good Shepherd, for the tender and caring way He speaks our name throughout all of our days and for the indescribable joy, we will find as He speaks our name throughout all of eternity.
Suggested Bible Reading … John 10
