A Series of Chess Boards

Chess is a complex game. Imagine playing on a series of chess boards where one move affects each chess board in the series. Now imagine controlling tens of millions of chess boards linked together. This is the picture Bishop Robert Barron gives us of our God. In a recent podcast called “Why is Life so full of Suffering?” Bishop Barron talks about Job and the question of pain in the world. Check it out here. 

Looking at all the suffering around us, and feeling some of it ourselves, can we trust God? When Job amidst his suffering questions God, the response he gets is a tour of our marvelous cosmos and the amazing life in it. Consider that when we question God, we may be putting ourselves on a level equal with God, which we certainly are not.

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!” Job 38:4 -5.

When we question God regarding the problems we see, we need to look beyond our problems to a marvelous God. Can we trust God when things go wrong for us? Look at the lesson from Job. As Bishop Barron points out–our God, who could frame the world we live in, can manage everything in it (like tens of millions of linked chess boards). Sometimes we can see the good that comes to us from our suffering, and sometimes we may never see it in this life.

Consider the big picture, not just your own immediate problems. A God who could create such a marvelous universe and cosmos and the incredible life in it, can surely take care of us.

We must do our part. What does God require of us? Honor, not putting any other “gods” above Him. Honoring God is what worship is. We must not neglect to worship God. And we can rely on Jesus Christ to cover our sins when we repent.

I wrote this blog for myself. Sometimes problems seem overwhelming. Can we trust God? Yes, I believe we can.

You can purchase my book, Sacred Strands, the Story of a Redeemer Woven Through History, on my website here.