Ryan's Ramblings

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

— Romans 10:17, ESV

When Paul wrote those words, few people could read. Most believers heard the Scriptures—not from a page, but from a person. God’s Word was first spoken—passed from mouth to ear, heart to heart. Faith came by hearing because that was the only way most could receive it.

In those early gatherings, someone would stand and read aloud the words of Moses or the prophets, or perhaps a letter from Paul or Peter. The rest would listen—leaning in, catching each phrase, letting the words linger in their minds. The Word was carried by sound long before it was ever bound in leather. It wasn’t consumed in snippets or screens; it was received in community, held in memory, and lived out in daily life.

But here we are in the twenty-first century—surrounded by words, flooded by sound. We’ve got podcasts, audiobooks, sermons on demand, YouTube channels, and playlists of preachers. There’s more listening than ever before—and yet, somehow, less faith.

We live in an age of constant noise—scrolling, streaming, swiping. There’s sound everywhere. Our ears are full, but our hearts are starving. We’re listening to everything, but hearing almost nothing.

And that matters, because Paul said, “Faith comes from hearing.” Not just from hearing anything, but from hearing Him. Faith isn’t formed by volume or variety—it’s formed by a voice. The voice of Christ still speaks through His Word, but we have to tune our hearts to listen.

Psalm 1 shows us what that kind of hearing looks like:

“Blessed is the one … whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.” (NIV)

That word meditates doesn’t mean sitting cross-legged in silence. It means to whisper the Word, to chew on it—to turn it over in your mind until it becomes part of you, until it seeps into your heart. The psalmist says that kind of person is like a tree planted by streams of water—rooted, nourished, and fruitful. Their faith isn’t brittle or seasonal; it’s resilient, steady, and alive.

That kind of faith doesn’t come from background noise or sound bites. It comes from daily delight—from slowing down long enough to let the Word soak in. We read, we mull (meditate), and we remember. You can’t meditate on what you’ve never taken in.

A study by the Center for Bible Engagement discovered something striking: when people engage Scripture four or more times a week, their lives begin to change—radically. It’s not about checking a box; it’s about consistent exposure to truth that seeps into the soul.

The research found that feelings of loneliness drop by 30%. Anger issues decline 32%. Bitterness in relationships—whether in marriage, family, or friendship—falls 40%. Alcohol abuse decreases 57%, and even the pull of pornography drops 61%.

And it doesn’t stop there. On the positive side, people who are rooted in the Word are 200% more likely to share their faith and 230% more likely to disciple someone else.

Those numbers aren’t just statistics—they’re signs of transformation. They show what happens when the Word of God becomes the rhythm of a life.

“Faith comes by hearing” isn’t a call to passivity; it’s a call to practice. In Scripture, hearing always implies obedience and response. Faith grows as we keep listening for the voice of Jesus until His words begin to shape our thoughts, choices, and hearts.

In the end, it isn’t about reading a book—it’s about meeting a Person. The Word isn’t just on the page; He’s flesh and blood, Spirit and Truth.

Every time we open the Bible, we’re not collecting information; we’re encountering Him—the Living Word, Jesus Christ. He is the voice behind every promise, the heart within every command, the fulfillment of every story. So the invitation today is simple: Turn down the noise. Pick up the Word. 

God’s still speaking. Are you listening?

Because fruitfulness, faith, and real life come by hearing—Him.