“36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”” (Luke 24:36-49 ESV)

War games resonate with the Christian who is simultaneously possessed of a “my yoke is easy, my burden light” and the whiplash of any Success, Progress, Gamesmanship. The Christian was doing so well, what hindered her or him? With our tongues we testify, and with our tongues we deny: lugubrious Weight hinders and complicates something that once was and still should be “Easy”. Or, if not “Easy”, then Manifest and Straightforward. We are Creatures of a King, who live in a Created Order under tutelage by Scripture and Spirit, in the interest of Engagement to the bride called Church.

The war game, therefore, stirrups up to a Cause for once now Appreciated and Honored: Christ for us, His the token, His the grace. His the Reason to fight and the proud banner hung high. That Christ is for us, and we His people do resonate around a Cause most benign, so peaceful as really to be prepared to War over the issues. Over the issue called Conversion. Over some halting to any and all fears of death, and arising of a Patient outlay called the Good Fight.

Then we study and marvel: in the Christian “body” (the Church) there is sincere self-giving, sincere praying for each other, sincere turning the other cheek. In truth, yes! These things are honored and would nearly deuce us were we not ourselves given to Forgiving spirit and to Allowing others to labor on our behalf… in some things. But, too, the endemic, habitual, marked nature of Sin in each and everyone’s lives. That we were once beholden to Sin, and today are still rumored, or easily dismounted, by some one simple oversight: wouldn’t it be convenient, if so-and-so were still wrapped up in sin?

Therefore the Soldier’s war game is to suffer through the heavens descending and all Faith Output feeling like a hazard zone, a reluctant battle: but Today! Let it be lightness of being! Let it remain a newborn’s delight! Let it be more than those “good works” aforementioned as having been dutifully discharged by patient but laborious new Friends. Reach for the teaching of Sincere Forgiveness, that is, zero burden precisely because the Lamb was Slain and we are giddy with second chances. Third chances. Fourth chances. Umpteenth chances.

The imagined Game, then, the War Game, is the soul’s fascinated resting zone even as said Rest coincides with Grand Design and Outlay by Him. He is Healing, in the business of Repairing, in the arena of the Good Fight. And we, as though having mastered the psychological, confidence, familiarity aspect of a standard Test, are composed and calm and winsome. We win: we know our religion to make some folks uptight because they fear ever to fall away from Testimony. For us, to go meeker, calmer, call it “friendship evangelism”: the belief that we testify just as well when not quite using His Name on the regular, but instead simply by being a friend. These things are a mystery, but are no Denial or Absence of trust fall. We fall right into the arms of the Cautiously prayerful, the Determinedly Spiritual, the One Resolutely directed, avoiding ennui, to the Cross.