Reading

Clay Bergen

In 1961, Roger Maris hit 61 home runs. In December, 1995, Paul Coffey became the first defenceman to record 1000 assists. Dan Marino has the NFL record for touchdown passes, career yards and pass attempts. Do these facts ring a bell with some of you? No? Well, here are a few others: 250 ml make one cup. A potato takes approximately 1 hour to bake at 400 degrees F. Sixteen ounces make one pound. Do these little facts ring a bell?

Regardless of where such facts come from, we tend to know them innately. Have you ever wondered why your husband or boyfriend can remember seemingly useless facts about every sport conceived? Have you ever considered why your wife can remember how many teaspoons make a tablespoon? A lot of these things we learn by simple repetitive use. So, if I learn these things by repetitive use, why can't I remember large portions of Scripture?

It seems we tend to remember the things that we spend time with. Those things that we cherish we will remember. Those things that we do not cherish fall by the wayside. I went to Bible school for three years, and I know my Bible pretty well--I say. Reality says something different. It seems that I remember far more baseball box-scores and hockey statistics than Bible verses. What's my problem? Am I callous to the Word of God? Am I indifferent to what the Lord wants to tell me?

Something that always impressed me when I was growing up was the testimony of older believers in my church saying, "You know, every time I read the Bible, I see something new." These people were old (at least in my estimation), and yet they always saw something new. Their reading of the Scriptures never staled, never grew old. What can be said of me, that my watching of Sports Desk has never grown old or staled?

My point is that the Bible needs to be more of a focus for our lives. I believe that the Lord enjoys a good baseball game as well as I do, but it shouldn't become as close to my heart as reading His Word and trying to hear His voice. When watching baseball and other things distract me from the Lord, then I believe He wishes those things had never entered my life.

Sit down with your Bible a little more this week. You might be surprised by what you find. For instance, did you know that Methuselah grew to be 969 years old? That's even older than Sparky Anderson! Or perhaps you caught the score between the Philistines and Israelites? No? Well get reading!

Clay Bergen is a teacher living in Big River, Sask.