WE have all felt the power of a voice known and loved. How, even in sleep, it touches the heart, and wakes up the slumbering senses. Its varying tones play upon our affections and our feelings like some skilled musician upon an instrument, which responds to the master’s touch. A crowd may throng around us, many voices mingling their discordant tones; but there is one note, unheard by the multitude, which arrests us on our way, and we turn to look for the one we love.
It is thus when Jesus speaks. Above and beyond the din of this world, “My sheep hear my voice!” Of the men who journeyed with Saul it is said, “They heard a voice;” but Paul declares, “They heard not THE voice of Him that spake to me.” Ah, beloved, we need not only eyes that we may see, but ears that we may hear, or we miss the present enjoyment of that love which follows us every day and all the day long as we travel on to His presence. This was the solitary joy of the Son of the Father as He walked here among men. The Pharisees derided; the Sadducees tempted; the Herodians mocked; and His own disciples murmured and disputed in His very presence. But His wakened ear, above all other voices, hoard One that solaced and gladdened His heart. He could testify again and again, under circumstances most discouraging, “the Father loveth the Son.” “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The people said it thundered; but to the wakened ear it was the voice of Him in whose bosom He ever had rest and changeless fellowship. Again, “As I hear I judge. Whatsoever I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” “As my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” (John 8:28, 2928Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:28‑29).) And having finished His course, He said, “Now come I to thee;” “Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.”
But has He not still the wakened ear? Away from the glory, He once listened for the voice of Him who sent Him. Now, at home with the Father, having entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us, He listens for OUR VOICE. For your voice, beloved, and for mine. There are many voices uttering upon earth words of foolishness, of sin, of blasphemy, yea, many notes of melody, to charm the natural ear; but none of these arrest the ear of Him who is risen from the dead. Around the throne is ever the ascription of praise to Him who sits on the throne: “Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty!” But nearer and dearer to His heart is the cry of His own left here in the world: “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” “He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out; for they know His voice.” If our hearts beat at the sound of His voice, He listens also for ours. “Let me hear thy voice,” is His gracious word; “for sweet is thy voice.” Fellowship must be at the least between two: there must be interchange.
If He speaks to us, surely we have much to say to Him. Never man spake like this man. It is not the wind, the earthquake, nor the fire, but the still small voice alone on the mount before God which causes us to pour out our hearts before Him. Are not our ears dull of hearing, that we hear so little of the secrets of His love, learn so little of His mind, know so little where He would have us to go, and what He would have us to do? Oh for the bored ear of the willing servant! (Psalms 40:66Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. (Psalm 40:6); Exodus 21:66Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. (Exodus 21:6).)
Too often has He to stand at the door and knock. His voice is not enough: He must knock to arrest attention, to let us know He is there. (Blessed faithful One! “If we believe not, He abideth faithful.”) And even then it is added, “IF any man hear my voice, and open the door.” Alas! that there should ever be a closed door between us and our beloved; some barrier that hinders the fellowship of hearts, the intimacy of love; yet, “if any man open the door, I will come in to him.” It is individual. The children of God may be indifferent, occupied with other things, but the wakened ear will hear His voice. “I will come in to aim, and sup with him, and he with Me.” Blessed fellowship even now! Truly He has taken us home to His affections. He sits down by our side, and we by His. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out;” or rather, give up or surrender. “In no wise!” The thought could not enter His mind. He will keep us to the end, until, with an assembling shout, He comes to gather us up to Himself.
The last words of a friend leave their own peculiar impress upon the soul; and in summing up the “many things” He had to say unto us, His last word was, “Surely I come quickly!” He reckons upon our love. Such is the earnestness of His own heart, that He expects an echo from ours. Oh, may we be so occupied with Himself, that the natural answer of our souls may ever be, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
“Thy companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.”
Jesus! Thy love is mine,
In Thee I rest;
And, Lord, my love is Thine,
In Thee I rest;
Ne’er from Thee can I part,
I must dwell near Thy heart;
Life of my soul Thou art,
In Thee I rest.
Lord! mine exceeding joy,
In Thee I rest;
Naught can my life destroy,
In Thee I rest;
Saved by Thy precious blood,
Kept by my Shepherd’s rod,
Through Thee made nigh to God,
In Thee I rest.
Soon shall the night be past,
In Thee I rest;
Thy face I’ll see at last,
In Thee I’ll rest;
Thy voice will call me home,
Ne’er from Thy side to roam.
Till that glad day shall come,
In Thee I’ll rest.