“When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” – John 10:4

In northeastern Uganda, clashes are occurring between rival tribesmen. Cattle rustling is a major problem in Uganda. During the dry season, when local communities move with their herds in search of pasture and water, rival tribes seek to steal each other’s cattle. The cow is the center of the tribal value system.

In one incident, one tribe made off with more than 600 heads of cattle, the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) operations officer in eastern Uganda, Lieutenant-Colonel John Baptist Mulindwa, told the BBC. The Ugandan army daily attempts to reunite cattle with their owners. The biggest difficulty lies in proving ownership. The BBC’s Nathan Etungu witnessed the process beginning in a village north of Mbale. He told the BBC’s Network Africa that when an elderly woman stood before the herd a remarkable thing happened. She called her cows by name and to the amusement of the soldiers, as each cow heard her voice, it lifted its head and then followed her. As far as the army was concerned, it was as strong a proof of ownership as one could find.

Jesus knows each of us by name and He is calling us to follow Him. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you a hearing ear to follow His will.

“The shepherd calls sharply from time to time, to remind them of his presence. They know his voice, and follow on; but, if a stranger calls, they stop short, lift up their heads in alarm, and if it is repeated, they turn and flee” – W. M. Thomson describing sheep in Palestine

God’s Word: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2004, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN pkennedy@devotional.com