Listening

Romans 10:17 says,  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  I've been told that God gave us a formula for listening by giving us two ears and only one mouth.  Thus we are meant to listen twice as much as we talk.  

That's hard in any conversation... at least for me.  I have a lot of thoughts that I like to share.  But when praying, well, it's harder isn't it?  Why is that?  Is it harder to listen because His voice is like a whisper on the wind.  It's easily missed when you are intent on being heard.  But like with anyone, we will still ache to know Him, if we never hear what He has to say.  

Scripture is the first place to hear Him.  In our times where everyone stands as judge of pretty much everyone else, it's hard not to stand as judge of what we read.  But if you are in conversation with someone and if you stand as judge... you are NOT hearing anything.  Listen, ask, clarify... wait, wait, wait for an answer that satisfies.  Faith truly comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  

Funny, think of that verse again, "Faith come from hearing, but hearing" (I'm thinking of the many times in my life time I have said, "You aren't hearing me!")  That miraculous gift of hearing comes by the very word of God himself.  The Gospel of John starts out by saying, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the Word was God.  Jesus Himself must somehow be a part of the message going from being listened to... to being heard.