“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18
I am writing this devotion shortly after I learned the passing of Henry “Hank” Aaron, one of baseball’s all-time greatest players.
It was Monday, April 8, 1974, and I was 12 years old. Baseball was my world. Everyone who knows anything about baseball knows the historical significance of certain numbers. On this night, I was familiar with the number 714 as this number represented the all-time home run record set by Babe Ruth in 1935.
I settled in front of the TV at my friend’s house to watch baseball history. Hammering Hank Aaron had tied Ruth’s record four days earlier. It was the bottom of the fourth inning and the pitch count was one ball and no strikes when Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing threw the historic pitch. Aaron clubbed it over the left-center field wall for number 715 and a new home run king was crowned. I still get chills listening to the TV broadcast call of Milo Hamilton and the radio broadcast of Vin Scully.
It is interesting reflecting back on my childhood memories and I can remember almost all the details of that night but cannot remember what I had for lunch two days ago. A lot of baseball players from the days of my youth have passed away, especially in the past 13 months. A lot of numbers in baseball have also changed during my lifetime (714, 61, 118, 382 and 2130) and many numbers remain the same (56, 511, .366 and 191). In the Bible, there are numbers that will never change (3, 7, 12, 27, 39, 42, 66, and 5,000). Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” Records and numbers in baseball will continue to change, but praise God, His words will never change!
In 2 Corinthians 4:18 it says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” What I witnessed on April 8, 1974, I thought would last forever. I thought the number 755 would last forever. But as I have grown older, I realized that it was and is not the case. Only the word of God will last forever. Only what is unseen is eternal. And we can take great comfort every time we read God’s word. Rest in Peace Hank! Thanks for the temporary memory.