By A.W. Tozer, taken from The Pursuit of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1

An intelligent, plain man, untaught in the truths of Christianity, coming upon this text, would likely conclude that John meant to teach that it is the nature of God to speak, to communicate His thoughts to others.  And he would be right.  A word is a medium by which thoughts are expressed, and the application of the term to the eternal Son leads us to believe that self-expression is inherent in the Godhead, that God is forever seeking to speak Himself out to His creation.  The whole Bible supports this idea.  God is speaking.  Not God spoke, but God is speaking.  He is, by His nature, continuously articulate.  He fills the world with His speaking voice.

 

The Word of God is quick and powerful.  In the beginning He spoke to nothing, and it became something.  Chaos heard it and became order;  darkness heard it and became light.  “And God said...and it was so” (Genesis 1:9) These twin phrases, as cause and effect, occur throughout the Genesis story of creation.  The said accounts for the so.  The so is the said put into the continuous present.

 

The Voice of God is a friendly Voice.  No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it.  The blood of Jesus has covered not only the human race but all creation as well.  “and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by Him to reconcile all things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)  We may safely preach a friendly heaven.  The heavens as well as the earth are filled with the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush.  The perfect blood of atonement secures this forever.

​

It is important that we get still to wait on God.  And it is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us.  Then if we will, we may draw near to God and begin to hear Him speak to us in our hearts.  I think for the average person the progression will be something like this: 

​

First a sound as of a Presence walking in the garden. 

Then a voice, more intelligible, but still far from clear. 

Then the happy moment when the Spirit begins to illuminate the Scriptures,

and that which had been only a sound, or at best a voice,

now becomes an intelligible word,

warm and intimate and clear as the word of a dear friend. 

Then will come life and light,

and best of all,

ability to see and rest in and embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and All.

 

If you would follow on to know the Lord, come at once to the open Bible expecting it to speak to you.  Do not come with the notion that it is a thing which you may push around at your convenience.  It is more than a thing;  it is a voice, a word, the very Word of the Living God.