I watched a movie last nite where the main character,  embittered by tragedy, posed that familiar question: "If there's a God why is there so much tragedy in the world?".  After posting an earlier blog on the shedding of blood my mind found itself with thoughts of God who knows all things - past, present and future - contemplating how best to achieve His goal (I will not, at least at this time, presume to know what that goal was or is) and the game of chess came immediately to mind.  In contemplating how to get from point A to point B, God decided our present path is the best path.  Pieces in life's game must be sacrificed - from pawns to even the Queen - along that path but only the most arrogant among us can honestly believe that we could make a better plan, especially not knowing what the goal is and what weapons stand in the way of achieving that goal. As Jesus explained in Luke 14:31  when going to war one contemplates the strength of the enemy before starting something he can't finish successfully.  God has counted the cost and made His decision.  The question isn't if you can serve a God who would subject Himself through His only begotten Son to the same pain as everyone else but what kind of God have you chosen to serve, for as a Jewish prophet has told us "you're gonna have to serve somebody".