Chess

The game of Chess makes me love God more. Let me explain this as follows - last year, I purchased a computer game called ChessMaster, and I really enjoyed playing it for awhile. It lets you play against different fictional players, and as you win more and more games, your Chess rank goes up. As your rank increases, you are supposed to play other Computer players (players who are imaginary, designed by the game) with the same rank as you. But I liked playing players who had a lower rank than me, because I could beat them most of the time. But there was one player in the game, even though he was lower ranked, every other game or so, he would set me up and do a three turn move that always caught me in check-mate. He caught me with my King boxed in behind my pawns, and his Queen taking a piece next to my King with it being protected by one of his other pieces, I lose – check-mate!

 

What Chess has taught me is that I am not very good because my brain can't think three turns ahead. I have some friends who are very good at Chess because they know some of the best Masters' openings, and they can anticipate their opponent's moves, and plan their own attacks several moves ahead. My brain doesn't work that way, and at best I can think a turn or two ahead. And so, if I face an opponent who can plan an attack a few turns ahead, I am an easy target for this kind of player. I am envious of this ability to think ahead in Chess.

 

So what does this have to do with my love of God? I know there are some super-computers that can beat even the world's best Grad-Masters of Chess. But they are limited by the programmer's ability to use the computer to think ahead of all possibilities in the game. But when I think of Chess, I think of God's perfection and of His great mind. I have a great appreciation for the work of Chess-playing super-computers and Grand-Masters. But the Mind of God that can do so much more not just in playing a game like Chess, but in my life. For example, God place the stars, planets, galaxies on a perfect course around us. And the way God has placed friends and family around me in my life to provide me with the love and support I need. And how He uses me to help and supports others in my sphere of influence. It makes me stand in awe of how much greater the mind of God is, even compared to a Chess-Master's ability in Chess compared to mine. I rejoice that I can communicate with this overwhelming Mind of God through prayer, and even study His Wisdom through the life of Jesus Christ His Son. I praise You the Amazing God of the universe, for Your Mind and how You are able to make it all work together!

 

So Dad, if you happen to read this Blog, would you play me in a game of Chess the next time I see you? It's been too long.