Check

Any chess players out there??? Chess is an interesting game, requires a lot of quiet concentration and decisoonmaking if playing on a serious level. I know how to win in 4 moves, trick is to get my opponent to make the 2 moves needed so i can execute my moves and win. Do you ever feel like God has you in check???

Chess is a series of maneuvers. You seek to capture your opponents pieces while advancing your own, they are attempting to do likewise. Best to think several moves ahead in order to set up your rival and cause them to lose more than just one piece. Of course they are trying equally as hard to do the same to you. Can you imagine playing chess with God??? No matter what move you made, He had it countered or blocked. His moves are always correct and actually set Him up many moves in progression. Before you know it, He has you in check,which means your in danger and need to move to safety, if you have no safe move it's checkmate game over.

Many events occur in life that outwardly appear to have God putting us in check. Inwardly as well. Death,pain and suffering,hardships financially,relationally,disasters. it seems that way even more so when we do our best to seek Him and cry out to Him------ only to have it met with silence silence so loud its deafening.Just what kind of God is this??? Isn't He the One who Jesus said *He alone is Good???* The Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children??? The God who abounds in lovingkindness patience forgiveness and love??? Alrighty then, so where is He when i desperately need Him????

Dan Allender has a book called *The Healing Path* in which he specifically addresses these questions, and how God heals us from all forms of abuse and woundedness. I think in reading his book thus far i saw a fresh hermeneutic. Hermeneutic is a fancy word for *method of interpretation* Interpreting His Word via the lens of pain and suffering. I looked at Abraham, he came to such devout trust in God he was willing to surrender his son as a sacrifice to Him. Along the way to getting there though, Abraham had quite a rough road. Pretending his wife was his sister, having sex with his wifes maiden to foster a son he had not believed God would provide,traveling to lands he was totally unfamiliar with and only had Gods promise to hold onto.

God said Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered. Jesus???? Learned obedience?? Ay Caramba!!! We are also told that we become more intimate with Jesus by the fellowship of His sufferings. Say what??? I would rather enjoy the fellowship of His rest and resurrection thank you very much!!! Phooey on all that suffering garbage!!! Yet, God has a different mindset apparently, and He doesn't mind tweaking us, letting us know that indeed He is GOD and He is in control and knows what He is doing!!!!

I feel in check quite alot. Instead of trying to avoid checkmate, i think I want to lean into where He has me and ask Him to let me trust Him in and through it. Maybe i can come to realize I do not have to run and hide from pain, and that along with the pain comes the true pure joy only being close to God can bring!!!!

Please pray as I seek to begin a small group in my church called *risking openness* i have mentioned it before and more and more i have sensed God gently guiding me to put action to my thoughts and take the plunge of leading this. i am hoping many are hungry for a deeper level of commitment and sharing together and that God will lead me as i trust Him to make it happen. I also must say He sure has used blogging and so many of you amazing people to help me get to where i really attempt this. Thank you!!!!