After a hijacked plane slammed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, many people inside the building were trapped by a cloud of thick, blinding smoke. Police Officer Isaac Hoopi ran into the blackness, searching for survivors, and heard people calling for help. He began shouting back, over and over: “Head toward my voice! Head toward my voice!”
Six people, who had lost all sense of direction in a smoke-filled hallway, heard the officer’s shouts and followed. Hoopi’s voice led them out of the building to safety.
“Head toward My voice!” That’s also the invitation of Jesus to each of us when we are in danger or when we have lost our way. Jesus described the true spiritual shepherd of the sheep as one who “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10v 3-4).
Are we listening for Jesus’s voice during our times of prayer and Bible reading? When we’re in difficult circumstances, are we walking toward Him instead of groping in the dark?
Jesus is “the good shepherd” (v11). Whatever our need for guidance or protection, He calls us to heed His voice and follow Him.”
What a brave person Isaac Hoopi was. I’m not sure I would have run into that smoke-filled building. Many lives were saved that day because of the bravery of others.
When we listen and hear the Lord’s voice, we don’t need to know where we’re going, we can just follow the Shepherd. The first verse of number 511 in STF. can be our prayer today:
“Speak in the stillness, God we pray,
come to our hearts and meet us here.
Bring us your peace for each new day
—the gift of grace to earth from heaven