Same Old Thing

Caden watched as his sister put on her coat, ready to leave for the children's program at their church. "It's too bad you have a cold and can't come," said Avery.Caden shrugged. "Pastor Walters said the speaker would be talking about Noah, and I've heard that story lots of times." Muffling a sneeze, he turned on the TV."Watching the basketball game?" Dad asked after Mom and Avery had left. "That's the one we recorded, isn't it? You already know who won.""Yeah," Caden said, "but I like to see it anyway."A little later, Caden was hungry and heated up some leftover pizza. "You're having pizza again?" asked Dad.Caden grinned and nodded. "I never get tired of pizza!" Dad got some pizza for himself. "It's too bad you had to miss the program at church tonight," he said. Caden shrugged. "It'd just be more of the same old thing. I already know all about Noah.""Do you?" asked Dad. "Well then, tell me--how big was the ark, compared to a football field? And how did building it show Noah's faith in God?""Well, I…uh…" Caden's voice faded out. He didn't know the answers."You say the story of Noah is the same old thing, but that basketball game was exciting to you, even though you knew how it ended," said Dad. "And you'd probably eat pizza every day if you could."Caden frowned. "What are you saying?" "I just don't want you to think of the Bible as being the same old thing, because it isn't," Dad said. "There are always new lessons to be learned, even from stories you already know, because the Bible is God's Word and He speaks to us through it. He always has new things to teach us as He helps us grow in our relationship with Jesus. As you read and study the Bible, you may find a story applies to your life in a way you never realized before. Keep learning all you can about the Bible, and expect to find something new every time."Caden was quiet a moment. Then he turned off the TV. "I think I'll go read the story of Noah so I can talk to Avery about it when she gets home."–Linda Weddle