“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27

By J. Vetter
Guest Contributor

A brief encounter with a young couple visiting our church led me to a joyous venture down memory lane. The wife shared how they were ready to move within the month and requested prayer for their house to sell. This brought to mind the testimonies of God’s faithfulness in each of the various moves my husband and I and our family had made over the years.

In John 14:3, Jesus announces that He is going to prepare a place for us.  Of course, He is speaking of heaven; but I realize now that in every move we’ve made, He truly was faithful to lead us to the house he had prepared for us.  That is if, and then as, we allowed Him to direct us.  

When we moved from Tampa, Florida, to Arlington, Texas, the Lord directed us to sell our home by owner.  That didn’t seem too risky since He said that He really was the owner.  

My husband, Ted, was already working in Texas, and we had gone out to look for a house.  After an unsuccessful week, I returned home. At that point, I had this God-inspired idea to write out a list of what I wanted in a home and, then, to let the Lord lead Ted to the right house.  

One Sunday, as he was driving around, he saw a home that was “for sale by owner.”  After looking at it, he excitedly called me.  As he began to describe the home, I realized it had everything in it that I had put on my list (which I had not shared with Ted)!  My list included even rose bushes and fruit trees, so when I heard him mention those, I felt pretty sure this house was it!  

The clincher was that the interest rate was so high at that time, and the Christian couple who owned the house were willing to hold the mortgage at a lower interest rate.  I had put that on my list, but really did have my doubts.  I thought, perhaps, I was asking too big.  But then I thought of the scripture in Ephesians 3:20, where God says that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

So we decided to go ahead and purchase that home.  However, our house in Tampa needed to sell now!  I returned to the Lord with my question.  “Did I hear You right?”  My answer came as I was reading Hebrews 10:35.  “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”  And verse 37, as well.  “…And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”  

Shortly, a former neighbor arrived with a contract for us, which was so perfect.  He was a realtor who knew the desirability of our home model.  He had the contract fully filled out, even with the closing date, which fit perfectly with the closing date on our home in Texas.  

So, this sheep was very grateful for the blessing of learning to hear the voice of Jesus, my Good Shepherd!

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1