RECORD!

If you are into sporting events, you’ve probably been concentrating on the ice and snow antics in Vancouver. For those of you who are not attuned to the niceties of differentiating between a silly point, fine leg, and long on, you probably missed it, not being among the 2 billion who follow cricket. India’s Sachin Tendulkar scored 200 runs in a one-day international last week. This momentous event, against a formidable foe—South Africa, ranked #2 in the world (India is #1)—has been equated to Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute-mile barrier in 1954.

Tendulkar got his double-century in 147 balls (or “pitches”), a hitting rate of 136.5. Astounding! His millions of fans call him “The Little Master”: he is only 5’5”, but a giant in every form of the game. There is hardly a record he hasn’t broken, having scored over 30,000 runs in international cricket. Tendulkar has also attained India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan award.

The day after Tendulkar’s incredible knock last week, one of India’s dailies had this picture on its front page, with the attribution, “God.”

He has certainly made my cricket-watching exhilarating, and I am thankful to Tendulkar for those pleasures and for going where no man has yet gone. But “God”? I don’t think so.

Someone else went further paving the way to God.

Jesus said …, “I am the way,
and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me.”
John 14:6

Like Bannister’s, Tendulkar’s record, too, will probably be broken. At a post-game press conference, the latter acknowledged: “Records are made to be broken and I would like to see an Indian breaking this record.” But there is one Record no one can break.

And there is salvation in no one else;
for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men
by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

The Times of India proclaimed in the same vein: “Immortal at 200!” Perhaps—as far as idioms go and cricket is concerned. But there is someone else who is not only immortal, but eternal.

… our Savior Christ Jesus,
who abolished death
and brought life ….
2 Timothy 1:10

Another writer mentioned putting Tendulkar in Tiger Woods’ league. I beg to differ. Tendulkar’s character has been irreproachable both on and off the field. But there was yet Another who was absolutely perfect!

Christ … offered Himself
without blemish to God ….
Hebrews 9:14

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar, himself quite a legend, exclaimed, “I would really like to bend down and touch [Tendulkar’s] feet”—a gesture of reverent homage. One day, though, another One will receive reverent homage, homage worthy of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

… at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow,
those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and … every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord ….
Philippians 2:10–11

The cricket correspondent for The Hindustan Times wrote: “It’s never a good idea to try and speak for a whole nation. But on Wednesday it was a risk worth taking. ‘To Sachin Tendulkar … two words will suffice: Thank you.’”

We, though, will be eternally grateful to the other Record-Breaker par excellence, eternal, spotless, and worthy of adoration.

Thanks be to God
for His indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15

The gift of Jesus Christ and the eternal life He offers to all those who trust Him, by faith, for the forgiveness of their sins.

He, and He alone, is God!