HEARING THE AUTHOR’S VOICE

It was one of those embryonic thoughts that comes bobbing up from our subconscious and then re-submerges before we get a cognitive fixation on it. For a long time, this thought had been making its sudden appearance and disappearing before I could get a good look at it. It was only on the airplane yesterday (at this writing) that I took the time to grab and examine it before it again vanished below the surface of consciousness. To pass the time on the flight, I was reading on my Kindle. That of which I became aware was this: I was hearing the author’s voice as I read his book! As I read the words, I heard his voice saying them. I stopped perusing and reflected on this while also considering two other authors I was currently reading. It was true of them as well. As I read their books, I heard their voices as if they were audibly narrating their own works. Currently, I have been reading works by Jordan Peterson, Dennis Prager, and John MacArthur. When reading Jordan’s book, I hear Jordan’s voice. Reading Dennis’ book, I hear Dennis’ voice. Likewise, reading John’s book, I hear John’s voice. Really. As I scan the words and register the meaning, the words are accompanied by the author’s voice. I hear the pronunciation, the inflection, the tone, the cadences, pitch, and even the pauses. Since I often listen to them from a video venue, I also see their facial expressions and their hand movements that are tandem with their words. I am reading, but I am hearing and seeing the author. You try it. Read an author you have listened to and/or watched frequently. Do you not hear his voice? For those of you whom I pastor, can you not hear my voice as you read this I’ve written. Awful thought, that. Now, this only occurs, when reading an author’s work, if one has, prior to the reading, heard and become familiar with his voice and oratory. If you have never heard an author, you won’t hear his voice as you read. It’s not possible. It was while mulling that point that I had this wondrous thought: It works the other way with God: He has written, via human instrumentality, a Book. Most have never audibly heard His voice. Yet, if one intently reads God’s Book, He will begin to hear God’s voice with the words. The words are no longer ink symbols of meaning. They are living utterances of God. The words of dead ink become utterances of a living voice. With human authors, you must first hear before reading for this to occur. With God, you must first read before you will begin to hear. With human authors, one becomes familiar with them and then begins to hear their voices as he reads their works. With God, one becomes familiar with His work and then begins to hear His voice. In either case, the person is joined with the words. With human authors the voice is in your head; with God, it’s in your heart. The Bible is not a dead document. It is alive. God’s voice accompanies His written words. Are you hearing His voice? Are you reading His Book?

HEARING THE AUTHOR’S VOICE

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