Spiritual StaminaSample

The Missing Chess Piece

The game of chess is hard enough when you have all the pieces on the board. Imagine playing against an opponent with the queen, your most important piece, missing. It seems impossible, but playing without the queen is a training strategy used by experts to sharpen their skills.

In the early days after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the most important piece in the formation of the church was the apostles. These men were commissioned by Jesus and empowered by the Spirit to spread his message to the world. The apostles, including Paul, were tasked with organizing believers, teaching them to obey Jesus’ words, and equipping them to impact the world.

When the Romans imprisoned Paul for speaking publicly about Jesus, it was as though the queen-piece of the early church had gone missing. Disoriented, believers were forced to thrive without their most important player. They were stretched to rely on God for themselves and to gain spiritual stamina as they were used to their full potential.

In more recent history, the church was thrown into a similar chaotic scenario. If we consider the queen-piece of the modern-day church as the weekly worship service, it was taken off the board during the Covid-19 pandemic. Without meeting in person, believers across the globe were once again stretched, driven either toward growth in their relationship with God or toward a decline in their faith.

In the gospel of John, Jesus encounters a man named Nicodemus, a highly educated religious leader who is experiencing a disorienting, world-upside-down faith crisis. Nicodemus recognizes the power of God being displayed through Jesus, but he cannot understand Jesus’ teachings or what it means to be born again. Compassionately, Jesus listens, answers questions, and teaches Nicodemus about God’s kingdom.

When pieces of life seem to be missing, when the world goes topsy-turvy, and there are more questions than answers, may private conversations with Jesus be where we find our strength to endure these challenges.

Reflection: Is there a situation in my life that is turning my world upside down? Am I willing to bring my questions and feelings of disorientation to Jesus in prayer?

Prayer: Lord, I want to trust you even when things don’t make sense to me. When pieces of my life seem to be missing, may I find comfort and direction in your Word. May I feel the presence of your Spirit strengthen me today.