Sometimes Christ speaks to us through the words of a child. Many times he speaks through his church, in its teaching and preaching and in its traditions and rituals, and certainly in the the Scriptures, which are not a literary relic , but through which Christ speaks all the time. (paraphrase from the Spiritual Diaries of Pope St. John Paul)

When we reach the time when we no longer critically analyze Scripture, but we begin to drink it, we begin to hear his voice more and more clearly. One of the most famous examples of this was God’s call to Charles Wesley, who composed over six thousand hymns, including Hark the Herald Angels Sing , and Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, and many more that are still sung today across all denominations.

Charles Wesley was an Anglican priest, and the brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. After a disastrous mission experience in the American Colonies, Charles returned to England where he wondered what vocation he should follow. One evening he invited a friend to visit and pray with him concerning his future: “The two friends then prayed together, after which Wesley ‘opened the Book’ for himself. . . and next his eye caught these words: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord, and put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 40:3) Charles Wesley wrote, “I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ.” (The History of Methodism , by W.H. Daniels, pg. 133) It proved to be Charles Wesley’s conversion moment, and propelled his great capacity for writing hymns.

Four days later Charles’ brother John Wesley experienced his “heart strangely warmed” experience at Aldersgate, which was his own conversion. Both men were preachers and teachers of the Word, without fully having accepted Christ until they heard through Scripture the voice of the living Christ.

Our world is very noisy. Never have there been so many voices vying for our attention and even assaulting our ears, yet the voice of the Scriptures is carried by the Holy Spirit to our understanding and to our spirits. Quiet time we spend with the Bible is always noticed by God, and we grow. Charles Wesley had opened the Bible many times before he finally heard God’s voice. In each opening he grew closer until he could hear Jesus himself.

Love in Him,

Prue