Daughter of the King

Chess and Choices

Chess is a game I used to play more often. I don't take the time to play it much anymore, but every once in a while I will, and the game has me thinking. Chess is a game that we can learn from. Chess is a game that tells us something about God:
-Isn't it interesting that the pieces have different roles? In checkers this is not the case; every piece is exactly the same, with the same skills and the same role to play.
-Yet, although many of the pieces are unique, there are at least two of almost everything, and several pawns. Therefore there is variety but not complete individuality. They need each other.
-In Chess you can only make one move at a time; no matter what. In most card games there are ways to loose your turn or go again. Chess is a game of patience.
-Chess is a game of choice. There are a million options, there are a million ways you could move, and yet there is only one way that you do move. This is the most significant point of all, because I have believed all my life that God is in control of all things. I don't believe that man can choice God, but that He chooses man and then begins to work in his heart so that man can respond to the work that God is doing in his life. When I face any sort of serious choice in life I get a little puzzled with God's perfect will. After I have made my choice I can look back and say "God planned that I would choice *blank* all along." Yet while the actual decision needs to take place and I am on my knees in prayer I wrestle with God's perfect will. There are a million moves I could make in life. Each one is vital. -Another analogy, in chess the most "insignificant" moves can be of the greatest consequence. When I play I tend to think that if the move isn't bold and daring it isn't worth doing. Yet, if I take that philosophy to life I won't get very far. The most mundane life choices are far more important than I realize.
Chess is all in the hands of the chess master, and yet he or she works within the preappointed rules. God does the same thing most of the time. He technically could do whatever He wished, and yet He has chosen to abide by the order that He installed in the universe (most of the time.)
I believe that I have more influence in my destiny than a Bishop has in my hand, yet how much more, I do not know.
The most intriguing part is the factor that there are so many possibilities and all of them ultimately affect the outcome of the game. In chess there is not one right way; there are simply better ways and worser ways.
Also, with chess I sit there and think through what could happen if I do *blank*, and then choose the most likely and then what I would do in response to it, and etc etc. The frustrating thing is that it's all assumption. I don't really know if my opponent is going to do. When I play chess I base my moves on several things:
-the rules of the game. (obvious, but it's an interesting point)
-the least perceived amount of harm
-the most perceived amount good
-the games History

In life I use similar guidelines. I don't know there's a whole lot of things in this that I am missing. I guess the main point that I want to drive home is that I am struggling with the idea of there being more than one option open. I like to think that there is one way that's the best way and when I am in submission to God's will that is what happens. It's not that easy. Ok, I hope you at least sort of followed this, and that you can perhaps help the explanation.

posted by Becca @ 11:46 AM