In my quiet time this morning, I took five minutes and just poured over a verse or two of scripture.  Life is chaotic and busy and my head is noisy.  Even when I’m supposed to be still.  I tend to feel that Im doing something wrong if I’m not pounding through several chapters of scripture every day.  More is better, right?

As if, God, Himself, gave us one and only list of how to do it ….the Holy Expectation of Bible Study….to be a good Jesus girl you must read from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a chapter of Proverbs and a couple Psalms every day.

We might make up our own expectations but He doesn’t do that.  He hasn’t set up those rules.

So I’ve been slowing down and pondering one verse of scripture today.  And this is it:

“My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me.”  John 10:27

So often I focus on my part of this verse.  The listening part.  And in that I can get wrapped up in how I might listen wrong.  Or mishear.  Or not hear anything at all.

But today, what spoke to my heart was this…..”I know them…”

Ahhh.  He knows me.  The God of the universe, the Shepherd of my soul knows me.  He knows me.  Me.

Drink that in and understand that wherever you are, whether it’s in trial or joy, whether you’ve got dirty dishes stacked up in your sink and you forgot to run the overfull dishwasher and there is laundry strewn on your couch and the beds aren’t made…..He knows you.  He sees your need.  He wants to meet you right where you are.  If you’ll slow down and let Him.

Jesus is a gentleman.  He calls.  But we often forget to listen.

He knows you.  Listen to His voice.  It’s there.  Only slow down long enough, breathe that tender mercy into your soul rather than jamming another chore in there, and listen.  And then follow.

This post is written in conjunction with the #Write31days Challenge and linked up with Kate Motaung’s Five Minute Friday crew here and Nester Smith’s friends here.