The Voice of God

CONSTANCE E. HEBER PERCY

The first Biblical account of God's speaking to mankind occurs in the third chapter of Genesis, and reads, "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Is not this the question that comes to each one of us when we begin to awaken to the demands of Truth? On page 532 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy paraphrases the question thus: "'Where art thou, man? Is Mind in matter? Is Mind capable of error as well as of truth, of evil as well as of good, when God is All and He is Mind and there is but one God, hence one Mind?'" Many might call this voice conscience; and is it not the "inward voice" which became to Moses "the voice of God" (Science and Health, p. 321)? Adam tried to hide from the voice; and we are all inclined to do the same, because listening to it necessitates a warfare with "the world, the flesh, and the devil"—necessitates the giving up of a material sense of pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow. Forgetting that the joys of Spirit are the only joys that can satisfy and that we do not have to give up anything that is good or helpful, we shrink from conflict.

Mortal mind is afraid of the question because it sounds its death knell; and thus it argues, "I am afraid." We need to learn that the "I" which says it is afraid is error—a lie—and not man; therefore we need not listen to it. Can error's argument that it is afraid prevent us from accepting Truth's summons and going up higher? Surely not, if we are claiming our unity with God and admitting no other power than that of divine Love which casts out fear.

In the Bible the word "still" is used in connection with the voice of God; and to the writer this is another indication that it is the "inward voice"; for is not that "a still small voice"? An instance of the use of the word "still" in this way occurs in the nineteenth chapter of I Kings. God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, which in turn seemed to encompass the mountain on which was Elijah; but when these had passed, God revealed Himself in a "still small voice." What a wonderful sense of peace the words convey!

How are we to become conscious of that peace to-day, and how can we be sure that the "still small voice" is directing us? Jesus taught that the pure in heart shall see God; and in Christian Science we learn that sight and hearing are both spiritual senses dependent on spiritual understanding, never on matter. Does it not follow, then, that in proportion to our growth in spiritual understanding—our purity of heart—we shall hear God's voice and be directed by it in our daily lives?

The writer once had a very helpful and encouraging experience in connection with hearing. She awoke one morning suffering from the sense of a cold and seemed completely deaf in one ear. The argument presented itself that it was useless for her to go to work, as she would not be able to hear what was said to her; but in reversing that thought she realized that the physical belief of deafness could not prevent her from hearing God's voice, because that process was wholly spiritual and mental; and if she could hear His voice, that was all that was necessary. Having thus cleared her thought, she went to her work and was able to hear without asking any one to speak louder. In a day or two the whole condition had vanished.

In many instances throughout the Bible God's will was made known to individuals through "angels." Mrs. Eddy teaches us that angels are "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness, purity, and immortality, counteracting all evil, sensuality, and mortality" (Science and Health, p. 581). If we are seeking daily and hourly to be guided by such angels the storms of sense may rage in vain, for they cannot prevent our hearing and heeding the voice of God.

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