{"id":2779,"date":"2023-04-13T15:59:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T19:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/?p=2779"},"modified":"2023-09-12T14:18:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T18:18:26","slug":"has-life-taken-you-en-passant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/uncategorized\/has-life-taken-you-en-passant\/","title":{"rendered":"Has Life Taken You En Passant?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Has Life Taken You En Passant<\/em><\/strong>?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

En Passant<\/strong><\/em> (pronounced ahn pa-sahnt<\/em>) is a very intriguing move in the game of chess. Although I enjoy this game of strategy, it has been a while since I have played. Consequently, it seemed strange when this unique chess move recently came to my mind during morning devotions while I was praying about specific areas of my life and circumstances in which God has been dealing (first posted 1\/25\/2014)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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En Passant<\/em> is a strategic move that centers around the pawn. Even though it is the weakest playing piece on the chess board, this little soldier\u2019s potential is quite special. The word, \u201cPawn,\u201d is often taken to mean \u201cone who is easily manipulated\u201d or \u201cone who is sacrificed for a larger purpose\u201d. It is derived from the Old French word \u201cpaon\u201d which comes from the Medieval Latin term for a foot soldier. Etymologically, it is from this word that the English word, \u201cpeon\u201d is derived. A novice chess player will throw away a pawn without a second thought, but true chess masters will be quick to tell you that they have spent a lifetime mastering the pawn\u2019s importance in building successful strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Historically, En Passant<\/em> was the last of a series of chess rules established between the 14th and 15th centuries. It was during that period of time that, in order to make chess more adventurous, the pawn\u2019s opening double-square move was introduced. The little, insignificant pawn suddenly received a forward-moving promotion! Up until this time, the single-square-jumping pawn had always been at a complete disadvantage when trying to pass by the oncoming opponent\u2019s pawn. This two-square opening move suddenly enabled the pawn to jump right past the opponent\u2019s pawn and escape the danger of being captured. This new rule brought about fresh excitement to the ancient board game and brand-new chess strategies were immediately developed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It was right then \u2013 and almost immediately (wouldn\u2019t ya know it) \u2013 that someone thought it necessary to counter this pawn\u2019s new ability to make advancement. \u201cToo much power for the little pawn,\u201d they said. A new rule was invented which enables the opponent\u2019s pawn to capture an adventurous pawn once it has attempted to pass the danger zone with a double-square jump. This rule was officially given the title, En Passant<\/em>, which in French simply means \u201cin passing\u201d. Today it is not uncommon to hear someone using this term to say, \u201cincidentally,\u201d or \u201cby the way.\u201d For example: “I may remark,\u00a0en passant<\/em>, that there is a growing Spanish population throughout Ohio.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How strange life can be! We are suddenly blessed beyond what we could ever imagine. God\u2019s favor brings the enhancement of a double-jump forward move which results in wonder, excitement, and new strategies for living. Then, almost immediately, a new method for capture is unveiled \u2013 En Passant!<\/em> The poor pawn realizes that it is no less vulnerable now than it was before the new opportunity had been bestowed. For the simple pawn, moving forward a single square or utilizing its double-square jump enhancement can both wind up having the exact same result: a capture!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it worth it all? It would only seem normal for one to long to restore things back to how they were before the pawn\u2019s double-jump had ever been created. The heart wants to scream out: \u201cUnfair! Unfair! Better to have never known of such enhanced opportunities for advancement! Can I please just start this game all over again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading through the Psalms, it is clear that the psalmist must have experienced En Passant <\/em>on many occasions. The title of one psalm explains that the psalmist \u201c\u2026is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.\u201d<\/em> What was his complaint? \u201c\u2026for Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down\u201d (Psalm 102:10)<\/em>.
Just think of King David\u2019s experience: He is anointed as king one day and becomes a fugitive the next! Ouch! On another occasion, David writes of his enhanced forward movement by God\u2019s favor: \u201cAnd in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by Thy favour Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong\u2026\u201d<\/em> Then, in the very next breath, he declares: \u201c\u2026Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled\u201d (Psalm 30:6-7)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, in spite of such rules, the game of chess has successfully survived the centuries. In the minds of even the greatest chess masters, the pawn\u2019s two-square opening move and the counter move, En Passant<\/em>, have filled the game with new strategies for triumphant winning. Life, too, is full of the adventurous excitement and absolute wonder of the rules and counter-rules which God has set into place. May the Lord always grant us the grace to never, ever miss out on the awe and wonder of it all! Triumph will always be ours when we willingly take all of this from His loving Hand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working\u201d (Isaiah 28:29).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Has Life Taken You En Passant? En Passant (pronounced ahn pa-sahnt) is a very intriguing move in the game of chess. Although I enjoy this …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-devotional","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Chessboard_177380249_m.jpg?fit=2508%2C1672&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8ofw-IP","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2779"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2886,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2779\/revisions\/2886"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2885"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}