Christians sometimes talk about “hearing God’s voice.” Personally I’ve never heard God’s voice in an audible way, but if I did, I wonder what it would sound like.
A group of young men and women applied for a job at a clinic filled with AIDS patients. During their interviews, they were asked to read the passage of scripture in Genesis where Adam and Eve sinned and God came looking for them in the garden. In that passage, Adam hid from God, and God called out “Adam, where are you?”
The applicants who read God’s words with anger or a demanding tone in their voices were politely dismissed. Those who read God’s words with compassion and caring – like a father looking for a lost son – were given the job.
I wonder what Jesus’ tone of voice was when He said to the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more.” Or when He said to the disciples “Couldn’t you pray with me for an hour?” Or when He said to Peter, “Do you love me?” after Peter had denied Jesus three times. In each case, I hear a voice filled with love, grace, and forgiveness.
It’s great to read the words of the Bible. While I’m at it, I’ll listen for God’s voice.