He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from my foes, who were too strong for me. ~Psalm 18:17
If you enjoy playing backgammon, as my husband, Danny, and I do every evening we can, this is not a formation you wish to face under any circumstances. In a few fortuitous rolls of the dice, Danny's brown checkers have trapped my two white ones in what seems like an impossible impasse as there is, in this moment, no way out of the trap he and his dice have cleverly set. How can two dice, with the top number of six, even have a glimmer of a hope in rescuing my unfortunate soldiers out of the mess they find themselves in?
These checkers, being side by side, are immune from further attacks at this juncture, but so are Danny's. That is poor comfort when I have to continue to roll the dice and hope that I will have time to build a foreboding block on my home turf before Danny's team closes in. That doesn't include rolling high numbers at this point. For example, if I roll a six, and none of my free checkers can move a six, it's as good as losing my turn. My block could end up looking like this -
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See the stragglers? They become fair game for Danny if, when I finally break free and can possibly hit one of his now unprotected soldiers, he has to reenter the game in my home field. Rats! But if I'm surrounded by my formidable foes for too long, I risk losing two games instead of one by leaving my checkers in the outfield without being able to take one off. That's called a gammon. If Danny gets all his checkers off of his homefield and I still have one remaining in his, that's a backgammon, hence the name of the game.
Am I finally able to free my soldiers from this mess? Yes, but not without the onus of being gammoned. If you think I'm happy about that, just ask Danny. LOL! He sure puts up with a lot of competitive spirit from me.
The more we play backgammon, the more I see the parallels to living life fully and with faith that God will rescue us when we are in danger, or are overwhelmed by the challenges we face. If we don't take risks, we won't succeed. If we give up hope, all is lost. If we don't keep trying, we'll never know what might have been.
If God is with us, He will make our ways straight. We can take risks, we can persevere, and we can have hope because His power and grace will prevail. Some days, we may be able to take leaps and bounds. Other days, we will only manage one step forward and two steps back. But our loving Father knows our hearts, our goals, our dreams.
No foe can ever defeat us when the Lord stands tall and strong within us.
Amen!
It's been years since I played backgammon. I was good at losing ... every time. I blamed the dice. Which is what we often do in real life ... we blame God when things go wrong. Why did He let it happen to ME? Why Me? Does He not love ME any more? Me ... Me ... Me ...
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and Danny, Martha.
I'm really good at losing at this game, too, Victor, but I have to remember that the loss doesn't define me in God's eyes. It's more important to keep trying our best at all we undertake, knowing that the Lord alone has the big picture. He doesn't exist to serve us, but we exist to serve Him.
DeleteLove and blessings!
"If we don't take risks, we won't succeed." Amen! And we won't learn. We won't grow. We won't escape traps, often of our own making. And we won't love.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Glynn! We do set our own traps sometimes, and manage to unwittingly fall into them. Our ultimate goal shouldn't be winning, but loving.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Dearest Martha Jane,
ReplyDeleteCan't recall for EVER having played backgammon...
Hugs,
Mariette
I hear you, Mariette. I had no idea what backgammon even was before I met Danny. He has taught me the game well and we truly do enjoy our rounds, win or lose. Truth be told, I'm not a very good loser, but I always have hope that the next time will go better.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Love your honesty here Martha Jane!
DeleteOh how I miss playing! Jo refuses to play since I "cheat" i.e. put her in the middle. :) I'm not saying I like to win or that I'm competitive! LOL. Be that as it may: your application is spot on and I will say ditto to Glynn's comment. And dear Mariette: you need to learn how to play!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your story here, Bill. Maybe, if you show Jo this post, she might change her mind? Just tell her that I lose more often than not at this game, but God knows that none of us are losers in His loving eyes. Let's keep on working and loving for Him!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Backgammon is a total mystery to me but I do understand the analogy. Well said. 💙
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked the analogy, Sparky. Backgammon was a mystery to me, too, until Danny taught me how to play. We really have fun with it, and his attitude when he loses, which is rare, is always an example of good sportsmanship.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I have never played this game. Actually, I rarely play games of any kind. my husband and family love playing games. Your message in this post is spot on...."God will make a way when there seems to be no way".
ReplyDeleteAmen, Shug! God always makes a way even when all seems lost at the moment. As I mentioned in an above comment, He loves all His children and only wants the best for us when we belong to Him.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh my goodness! I have NO clue whatsoever how to play backgammon! but I appreciate how you've turned it into a scenario analogous to life and a very good lesson to learn. I like what Glynn said above. That's what I'd echo. Thank you for this lesson today. Now I need to learn to play!
ReplyDeleteI loved Glynn's comment, too, Pamela, as he summed it all up in a nutshell. Backgammon is fairly easy to learn how to play, but to play it with strategy really takes time and practice. Danny's been so patient with me, I can't thank him enough for that. He also taught Virginia and her mom and dad how to play, and they love challenging each other at home, when they have the time.
DeleteLove and blessings!
it's always amazing when we see how our ordinary, daily past times and tasks can give us lessons into the love of our Heavenly Father ...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it, Linda? Yes, God's lessons are all around us, even in the most mundane of activities when we take time to notice.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Like Sparky and Pam, I've no clue about backgammon. Nevertheless, I love the parallels you've shown us. Particularly in this season in which we find ourselves. I'm going to see if there's not an online backgammon app I can download.
ReplyDeleteThere are some online backgammon sites, Myra, although I haven't explored any yet. My daughter likes to play online games every once in a while, but is way too busy now with her job and the girls being in school to have much time for anything leisurely.
DeleteLove and blessings!
The app is called backgammon galaxy. That is the best one.
DeleteI immediately fixated upon “If God be with us”.. it spoke directly to me & will show up in a future blog. Thank you for inspiring me!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Lulu
I'm so humbled by your kind comment here, Lulu. I will certainly be looking forward to that upcoming blog.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I have no clue about backgammon, but I do love the parallels to real life that you give, Martha. It's a comfort to know that even if we can take only one step forward or have to take two steps back, our loving Father knows our deepest hearts and is with us! Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you're not the only one who's commented here that doesn't understand backgammon, Trudy, but I'm so glad the message I hoped to convey comes through loudly and clearly for you anyway. Yes, the older I get, the more that one step forward, two steps back seem to be the order of the day. Knowing God is with us is exactly the comfort and confidence I need to keep on going.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Yes, AMEN!! I don't play backgammon but you gave us a great analogy that is easily understood, whether we play or not. Thanks, Martha!! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this kind comment, Terri. As I said to Trudy above, I'm so glad the message I wanted to convey came through whether or not someone plays the game or not. Thank you, Lord!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Your post is spot on, Martha. It isn't about winning or losing, it's about life and how we go about it. God will always be with us and guide us to the ultimate victory. We must keep faith and try our best.
ReplyDeleteKeeping the faith and trying our best . . . that says it all, Bill. Thank you!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Although I’ve never played backgammon, I certainly understand your application. Thank you, Martha.
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome, Diana. It is a challenging game when played at length, but easy to learn, too. Such is life when we become convinced that Jesus has come to save us, yet others wish to make the road we choose a full of blocks along the way. Let's just keeping one foot in front of the other.
DeleteLove and blessings!
That's very interesting. I have never played so I can't relate to everything you are experiencing.
ReplyDeleteImagine, Debby, that you know the odds against you, but it's completely out of your hands to do anything about it. Doesn't life feel just like that at times? But God . . .
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hmm. Looks kinda hard to me, but more power to you and to Danny!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. Just keep believing in the Lord as you are doing, and He will see you through every difficulty in the end.
DeleteLove and blessings!
If you want to learn backgammon the basics are actually simple. You want your checkers to get home and off the board first using the dice rolls as how you move. Each side moves clockwise. To learn I would read and watch youtube's Marc Olsen. He operates the backgammon galaxy website, app, and store and is a grand champion.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Danny, for your great advice to those who might be interested in learning how this game is played. As much as I gripe about losing, I love you so much for never thinking of me as a loser. Every day that we celebrate together is such a gift to me.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I'm another who's never played backgammon. But the lessons you draw from it could be drawn from other games more familiar to me. (Rook, anyone?) I especially appreciated this reminder: "If we don't keep trying, we'll never know what might have been." I know that's true, but it helps to hear it from a faith-filled friend!
ReplyDeleteOh, Nancy, your comment here so touched my heart and soul with the kindness and understanding you always show so generously. Yes, there are many games out there that can teach those same lessons. Maybe, that's why God created us to love playtime in all the venues we have available to us. I've never even played Rook, but I just might have to explore those possiblities.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hi Martha Jane, I have never played, or heard of, backgammon but I love the way you have referred the game spiritually to God's strength in you. I used to play chess when we lived in Australia and have always seen the game spiritually as God being the Master chess player and we, the believers, being the pieces He moves around. God bless you for sharing this lovely post.
ReplyDeleteAges ago, I did learn to play chess, Brenda, but have forgotten how to play well. What a great analogy you've given us here for how you view that game. God is the Master chess player and we, as His creations, are moved along in the right direction for our good and His glory. Beautiful!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha Jane: Add my name to the list of those who don't understand backgammon. I always saw the playing field on the back of checker boards but no one ever told me or showed me how to play it, Your parallels to life are right on. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteIn one of the comments above, Danny put a link for anyone who would like to learn how to play the game, Cecelia, if you're at all interested. I'm so glad that you could see the parallels in this post just the same.
DeleteLove and blessings!
OK, Martha, you've stymied me at last. While I loved reading your insightful piece about trusting God's power to enact deliverance whether we think it's possible or not, I was/am at a total loss to relate to the game of backgammon. I spent many wonderful hours with my grandpa playing the game on the other side of the board, none of us in our family had any idea what those weird looking designs on the back were all about. And having married me, Diane is averse to anything that involves risk.:)
ReplyDeleteBut on a serious note, we're definitely at a place in our country where we need to pray that God will insert Himself in a way that protects us from the assaults of the enemy. It's easy to preach and sing about God's power and how He'll never let us down when we don't feel like the enemy's forces are positioned against us in ways that have devastating potential. But the truth is that the trust we claim is really only verified when it's tested. I'm not good at board games, but I can tell when our checkers are in trouble. I'm so glad that you and Danny don't collapse in defeat when the scenario looks tough. Thanks for a very different and fascinating post. If i had a checker board I might investigate backgammon, but the more likcly result is that Diane would put it in a yard sale.
Please let Miss Diane know that I would understand her reaction completely. Strategic thinking and mathematical logic are low on my totem pole of thought processing. Backgammon? Danny, the Georgia Tech graduate, has been determined in teaching me how to think with that other side of my brain, for sure.
DeleteInstinctively, as a woman (I know we can define a woman), we aren't wired to take risks. That's y'all's job as men! And we so compliment one another in that arena as we explore the thinking process of another and respect that with love.
We are in dire straits in this country, Ron, I agree. We need God more than ever. I do believe He is showing Himself and His power in the recent horrific and heinous events our nation has suffered. May we confess our sins to the Lord and pray for His forgiveness as we have been forgiven.
Love and blessings!
I have played many different kinds of games in my lifetime. In recent years the game of life has been enough for me. Being an old Scotts Irish, German, American Indian I have not known what the words give up or you can't do that mean. The Lord has been there every step of the way since He called more than 60 years ago. He has been there through thick and thin. There is no greater friend than our Lord Jesus Christ. Hen is there no matter what.
ReplyDeleteHugs and Blessings
Oh, Jim, if more would come to Jesus and believe in the truth of God, what a better nation and better world this would be! Your comment reminded me of what I heard from parents and teachers growing up: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." When God is with us, there is never a reason to give up hope.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Powerful analogy, Martha. I have never played backgammon before. I understand a little more of the game from this post. I can be competitive too when Mike and I play games or cards. :-) I love all your "If we" statements in the next to last paragraph. Yes, we must take risks and never lose hope for the Lord will rescue us. God bless! Karen Friday
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Karen, for your wonderful comment here! None of us like to lose or even feel like losers in this game called life, but if God is with us, so is hope for our future and the future of those we love. When we believe in His redeeming grace, none of us are ever a loser.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Backgammon is probably above my head - lol - but your parallels to life are great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra, for your kind words here. I used to think backgammon was way beyond me, too, but Danny has both taught me some skills I really needed to learn and has given me more confidence to take risks for the Lord's sake, not mine.
DeleteLove and blessings!