17So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [simple_tooltip content=’13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’](Romans 10:13-17)[/simple_tooltip]
This verse doesn’t say that faith comes by having heard. The word hearing is a present-tense word and is continuous. Hearing is an action that is currently taking place.
Faith that comes from God’s Word is like the energy we receive from food. We don’t have to eat every moment of every day, but we can’t live off the food we ate a year ago. The food we eat today fuels us for a relatively short period of time. Likewise, faith that comes from God’s Word has to be appropriated on a regular basis. We can’t cram when we are in the midst of a trying situation, expecting faith to work, any more than a student can study just once before an exam and expect to score 100 percent.
The food we ate as a child isn’t just gone; it was used to increase and nourish bones, muscles, and body tissue. We still benefit from that food today but constantly need a fresh supply to continue in health and strength. In the same way, the time we have spent in the Word, which produced faith, is not lost. It has become a part of who we are and provides a structure for us to continue to build upon. However, faith for today must come from our current relationship with the Lord, which includes meditating on His Word.
There are many analogies that can be drawn between your body’s need for food and your heart’s need for faith. Certainly, one of the clearest comparisons is that you don’t just eat once a week. Therefore, you need to be in God’s Word every day. If this has never been your habit, start today. You will find that a daily meal of God’s Word will give you a clearer head and even a more healthy body.
