Do you remember when you were in school and you had a substitute teacher? Everyone was excited! You know they don't really know what goes on in class and they don't know you. Let the games begin! I walked into one of my regular classes at the gym to find we had a sub. She had signed up to sub for our instructor who has had this class for years. Many in the class have been with her for years. Not an easy assignment. 

I go to this class for a few reasons. First, it is easy to modify to whatever level you want and second, it's fun.  I felt a little sorry for our sub, some of the ladies were circling like a shark. Blood in the water, nothing was going to make them happy. She set up different, her music was different, the workout was different, one thought it was too hard, another thought it wasn't hard enough and on the conversations went. Yet, there wasn't going to be a sub that does it exactly like our instructor. Not going to happen.

Having been in the class for about 6 months, I know the changes, how she ques, what the inflections mean, what equipment I have to have and where everyone likes to stand. I know because I have spent time there. I have invested time and sweat under her teaching. This sub wasn't her. 

Jesus tells us in in John 10:27, "My sheep know my voice, I know them and they follow Me." We only know someones voice by listening to it.  "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." John 10 :3  Jesus calls us by name. We follow His voice because he is our shepard. 

When we follow substitutions instead of Jesus, we get led astray. I f we follow them long enough, we turn aside from Jesus. In life Jesus has no substitute, there is NO ONE else that brings us to the Father. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. He is our cornerstone. We must spend time with Him so we can hear His voice. 

We all survived the class. We survived the sub. Today, our instructor was back and we were all very glad to have her. Watching the new ladies in the class try to figure  it out, I thought, they just need to keep coming so they get to know her voice. 

The Lord is my shepard. Jesus is my cornerstone. He calls me by name and leads me beside the still waters. I listen for His voice. I will go where He leads.