I remember when I was in elementary school or right before then. There was a song that everyone would always sing. Or maybe it was just me that would always sing it. It went something along the lines of “School days. School days. Dear ole golden rule days. Reading, writing, arithmetic, all to the sound of a hickory stick.” You know the song, right? I’m not sure that I have ever known more than that part, but I remember many a times running around singing that part of the song over and over until someone told me to stop.
All throughout elementary school, the emphasis of things to learn was reading, writing, and math. I agree, all are important. You use all of those things everyday whether you want to admit it or not- talking about math here for all of the math haters out there (that’s a rant for another day). I think somewhere along the way, the importance of learning how to study the Bible was lost. Maybe not for everyone, but it definitely was for me. Sure, I read the Bible. Or did one of those devotional books written specifically for someone my age, but I never really learned how to study the Bible for myself.
During my late 20s, I began to realize how Biblically illiterate I am/was. Honestly, I probably realized it before then, but was too prideful to admit it. If I were to sit down and calculate all of the hours I have spent studying throughout my time in academia, and then if I were to sit down and calculate all of the hours I’ve spent studying the Word of God, the difference between the two would be embarrassing. Just to help illustrate my point, I’ve listed all of the math classes I’ve taken. Some of these classes were required. Others I took for “fun” because I had credits to kill and my advisor said why not use your electives and take more math classes. The * represents classes that were 4 hour class time.
- Intermediate Algebra*
- College Algebra
- Precalculus
- Trigonometry
- Elementary Statistics
- College Geometry
- Math for Liberal Arts 1 &2
- Calculus 1*, 2* & 3*
- Differential Equations
- Applied Discrete Mathematics
- Linear Algebra
- Set Theory & Logic
- Math Stat 1
- Applied Statistics *
- Biostats
- Graph Theory
- Number Theory
- Abstract Algebra
- Analytical Functions
- Numerical Analysis
- History of Mathematics
- Advanced Calculus 1
- Undergrad Prosem (Undergrad stops here)
- Advanced Probability
- Math Stat 2
- Real Analysis
- Matrix Theory
- Partial Differential Equations
- Numerical Analysis 1
- Operational Research 1
- Design of Experiments
- Advanced Statistical Modeling
If I did my math right, I’ve spent 109 hours of my life in math classes. This doesn’t include hours spent outside of the classroom. My last semester at the state college, I spent 150 hours logged in the math lab. I am currently at 259 hours I’ve spent learning, doing, understanding, crying because of math. This number also doesn’t account for the classes I retook, because while I have degrees in math, I STRUGGLED to get those degrees. Nor does this account for the countless hours I spent on both of my research projects for my undergrad and grad degree. The course was labeled one credit hour, but that was entirely misleading. It was more like 100 hours for each. But if you want to know about the history of the problem of the tangent line before Newton and Leibniz, I got you. I can also give you an 18 minute presentation of a comparison of numerical solutions for initial value problems of ODEs.
Thinking about the time I spent studying the Word of God and learning how to study it, the number is infinitely smaller. I went to church, church camps, did all the good Christian kid “things”, and still the number of hours I’ve spent in the Word is pitiful. People always say you prioritize what is important to you. You make time for what matters. If my relationship with God and knowing Him and His Word was as important as I’ve always said it to be, why has my time in the Word been so dismal? Why have I not been more intentional?
Last November, I started a certification program through one of the Southern Baptist Seminaries. I’m only 2 classes in, and I can already tell my knowledge of the Bible and walk with the Lord is growing. Each class is supposed to take around 6 weeks, and I’ve yet to finish a class in that time period. But through my first two classes, I was comforted to know I actually knew a little more than I thought, but I now have the scripture to back up what I’ve always believed. It’s no longer someone told me this, so I believe it. I’ve seen it in scripture for myself. I can see how my own personal time in scripture is different. The classes have allowed me to have more in-depth conversations with people about theology and scripture. To say I’m feeling better prepared for where He is leading me is an understatement, and I’ve only done 2 classes! I have 5 more, and I honestly can’t wait to learn and grow more and be challenged in my walk.
Hebrews 4 tells us The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than a two-edged sword. It pierces the division of soul and spirit, and of bone and marrow. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Bible is completely inspired by God. Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). I’m grateful to be in a season of life where I’m seeing firsthand how the scriptures above are being applied in my life and the life of others. I’m grateful to live in a country where I can freely study the Word, attend corporate worship, and share my faith with those who ask without fear of persecution.
Reading, writing, arithmetic, are all important. But learning how to study scripture for yourself? Incomparably more important. While I get discouraged at times when I realize how much time and energy I spent in a degree that I don’t really use, I can look back and see how The Lord has used my countless hours doing math related things for my good and His glory. It’s a reminder to me that the Lord is faithful and at work in all things and can use all things. You never know how He will use something, but we must trust that we know He will use it. He wastes nothing. While my credit hour count for my certificate with never amount to the hours I spent doing math, I’m confident that by the time He calls me home, my time spent doing math with be incomparable to the time I’ve spent in scripture. I’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good. Each day the Lord’s mercy is new. As long as He continues to give me another day on this earth, it’s another opportunity and more time to study the Word. I’m excited to continue this journey of learning so that I can share the gospel with those who haven’t heard and disciple them to follow the Lord.
Romans 10:13-15
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Grief. Going. Healing. 
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