Sacrifices in the Game of Chess
Checkmate! I’m sure that is what you would tell me if I played you in a game of chess. Checkmate is declared in a chess match by the player that leaves the opponent with no more options to move. Namely the king, thus winning the game. This highly strategic game is a battle between two minds. My skills are limited with this game; however, I can tell you that the front row of the game board is lined with “pawns.” You can only move it forward one space at a time diagonally, and there are quite a few of them.
I would sacrifice a pawn if I could draw out my opponent’s key players. Alternatively, I consider my queen as a valuable game piece. She can be moved in any direction and as many unoccupied spaces as necessary. Not sacrificing her is a strategy of vital importance.
Life Sacrifices
In life there are many things I am willing to sacrifice like the pawns in chess. It could be soda, immediate desires, or television… These things would not be a great loss if I give them up. On the other hand, the key things in my life I value more… sports, electronic devices, or hobbies. Priorities in my life I try to protect. Unwilling to sacrifice them and give them up to God.
Look at Abraham, he was willing to sacrifice Isaac, his most valued possession (Genesis 22:1-19). It would be like moving your queen to the front of the line, disregarding the possibility of a checkmate. However, Abraham was rewarded by God for being willing to make that sacrifice.
Jesus asked people to sacrifice what was important to them as well. He asked His disciples to drop everything and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Jesus asked a rich young ruler to give up all his possessions (Mark 10:17-27). A widow was honored when she gave all that she had in the offering (Luke 21:1-4).
Checkmate
I sit back and ponder… Am I only willing to sacrifice the things in my life that I can do without, and not willing to sacrifice the things I want to protect? If I want to truly follow Christ, I must be willing to put myself in a position to face a checkmate. I will have to sacrifice things that become my life’s priorities and give more of my time and talents to God. Things I haven’t been willing to let go of. Can you put yourself in a position of checkmate?
In return, Jesus promises to give us more than we could ever ask for. Maybe it’s time to stop sacrificing things that don’t matter and start sacrificing things that do. Then if Jesus declares “checkmate”, the game is not lost, you become a winner. Experiencing the full revelation of who He really is. The one who said, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you,” (John 13:14-15).
Dear Lord, help me make sacrifices so I can serve you. Serving You by serving others. Amen.
— Phil
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Today’s Scripture
Genesis 22:1-19
The Sacrifice of Isaac
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Matthew 16:24
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 10:17-27
The Rich Young Man
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Luke 21:1-4
The Widow’s Offering
1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
John 13:14-15
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.