Kendra awoke with an emptiness in her soul. It would take a long time to get over the loss of Dad. She’d had plenty of warning, but that didn’t make it any easier. Who would she call when her car was making strange noises, and who would, one day, God willing, walk her down the aisle?

             Determined not to let her grief take over, she headed to the park. The sun was shining, and a little fresh air would do her good. She meandered down the walking paths, nodding to joggers, moms with strollers, and people walking their dogs. Sure enough, her mood lightened. Being out and about was much better than allowing the memories to overtake her. As she rounded the bend, though, her mood took a turn for the worse. She’d forgotten about this section of the park.

            Several sets of tables and chairs lined the path. Pairs of people sat at tables, their gazes intent on their chess games. Dad had loved chess. In those last few months when he could no longer walk, they’d played many games. When the tremors in his hands got to be too strong, he’d direct her which of his pieces to move. His mind remained sharp to the end, and she rarely beat him in a game. Kendra sank onto a chair and buried her head in her hands.

            A few moments later, a shadow blocked the sun, and Kendra glanced up to find an older gentlemen standing by her. “Excuse me, miss, but are you OK?”

            Kendra blinked several times and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She shouldn’t pour her troubles out on this stranger, but the kindness in his eyes told her he didn’t mind.

            “My father passed away two weeks ago. I’m having a hard time dealing with the loss. She gestured to the surrounding people. “He and I used to play chess regularly. Seeing this area was a lot for me to handle. I miss him so much.”
            The man pointed to the chair opposite her. “Do you mind if I sit?”

            Kendra shook her head. “No. Please do. I’m Kendra.”

             The man nodded. “Charles.” He set a chessboard on the table. “Care for a game?”
            Emotions warred in Kendra’s heart. She wanted to play, but would it betray her father’s memory? One glance into Charles’ eyes told her he was sincere. Why would he have come to this place with a chessboard and no partner? It must be a God thing. She swallowed hard. “Sure.”

            Charles pulled the board from the box, and they set up the pieces in silence. Dad had never spoken during their games, except to tell her which pieces to move. Charles appeared to have the same temperament.

            They were evenly matched. At the end, when Charles declared checkmate, Kendra breathed out a sigh of satisfaction. She’d come close to beating him, but his last move came out of left field. She reached across the table and shook his hand. “Well played. Thank you for this.”

            Charles nodded. “No, my dear, thank you. I was feeling a bit down myself. My dear friend Ralph and I played chess together every Sunday afternoon for the last 15 years. We sat at this very table. He passed in February. Today, with the sun shining brightly, I felt the nudge to come back out here, game board in hand. I wasn’t sure what God was telling me, but when I arrived at our table, here you sat.”

            Kendra stared at him. She hadn’t even prayed in the last two weeks, but somehow God answered her prayers anyway. “Would you like to do this again next week?”

            Charles beamed, and the edge of Kendra’s grief softened a touch. She sent up a silent prayer. “Thank you, God.”

Matthew 6:7-8

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

God, it is so important to pray, but sometimes we don’t even know what to pray for. What an incredible blessing and comfort to hear You know what we need before we even ask. You know what is best for us. Thank You for watching out for us, caring for us, and providing for our needs. Help us follow the nudges You give us, even when they don’t make sense to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.