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

Romans 10:17 ESV

Many years ago, during my college days, I used to take local trains quite often to travel around the busy city. The same crowds would gather almost every day at the same time, and after a while we almost began to recognize one another.

In the place where I come from, the train stations are open, with multiple tracks leading to different destinations. It was quite common to see people jumping onto the tracks and crossing over to the other side instead of using proper crossings. The rules were not very strict then, so people freely walked across the tracks. Because of this, we often heard about train accidents.

The train drivers would usually honk continuously from a long distance to alert people to get off the tracks. Along with the loud horn of the train, people waiting on the platforms would also shout warnings to those who were not quick enough to move away.

One late evening, when it was beginning to get dark, people at the station were discussing a tragic accident that had just happened. A woman with a hearing disability had been crushed by a train while trying to cross the tracks. Neither the loud honk of the train nor the cries of people warning her to move were heard in her ears.

Later, it was suspected that something might have happened to her hearing aid. She unknowingly walked across the track without realizing the danger around her. The alerts and warnings never reached her in time to save her life.

If she had heard the sound or the voices calling out to her, she might have been saved. Sadly, that poor woman lost her life because she could not hear.

This incident reminds me of an important spiritual truth: if we fail to hear the voice of God, we place ourselves in great danger.

The Bible reminds us of the importance of hearing the voice of God. His voice brings assurance, warning, comfort, and guidance. God speaks and ministers to us through His Word.

However, the ruler of this world—the devil—works hard to make sure we hear every other voice except God’s. Sometimes he fills our ears with distractions. At other times, he tries to make our hearts spiritually deaf to the voice of God. In either case, we are in danger of being crushed.

Just as a hearing aid helps someone hear clearly, prayer becomes the aid that opens our spiritually deaf ears so that we may receive and hear the voice of God. May the channel through which we hear God’s voice remain alive and active through prayer.

Adam fell into sin by listening to the voice of the serpent, but Saul’s life was transformed when he heard the voice of Jesus Christ.

In this world filled with sin, chaos, confusion, and uncertainty, faith in God helps us navigate the short time we live here. Faith acts like fuel that keeps us moving forward. The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Faith will keep you sound and safe even as you cross from one phase of life to another. Faith will not allow you to lose track of your path, even in situations that look dangerous and crushing.

The voice of God through His Word will guard you, strengthen you, and preserve you.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Open our ears to hear Your voice above every other voice in this world. Remove every spiritual deafness from our hearts and help us remain sensitive to Your Word. Through prayer and faith, keep us attentive to Your guidance so that we may walk safely in Your ways. Guard us, strengthen us, and lead us by Your voice each day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.