Play Infinite Games
When Jesus died on the cross, it appeared he had lost. People went back to their normal lives and assumed Jesus was just another fake Messiah, but Jesus had a bigger plan. He was playing the long game.
Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
What gets your endorphins firing? Maybe it’s the stock market, movies, books, sports, sex, drugs, or alcohol. The problem with these stimulants is that the more we use these things to feel an emotional high, the harder it becomes to achieve that excitement. Over time, it takes more and more to get the same rush, leading to a depressing cycle. The solution is to stop living in pursuit of those feelings. That’s easier said than done, but the way to stop living for a temporary feeling is to start living for something bigger than yourself.
The happy feelings you will experience in Heaven will far outweigh anything you can feel on Earth, making it worth delaying gratification. However, that requires us to see the eternal nature of our lives. James Carse, a professor at New York University, identified two kinds of games humans play: finite games and infinite games. Finite games, like sports, have a beginning, an end, and a clear winner. These games have known players, clear boundaries, and rules, making them easy for us to understand and enjoy, at least for a while. Modern sports are the clearest example of this kind of game, and the greatest evidence that sports are finite is that referees now stop games to review plays to ensure everything is fair and the winner deserves to win.
Infinite games, however, are less familiar. In these games, the rules change, there are known and unknown players, and the goal is to keep playing. There’s no clear ending, and you don’t know who wins, which can be frustrating.
The church is in an infinite game, but often acts like it’s in a finite game. We think, “If we can just get more people on Sunday mornings than the church down the street, we’ll be happy.” But God called us to a different game. We are part of an infinite game that didn’t start with us and won’t end with us. If your goal is to find the bad guys in Christianity and separate from those who disagree with you, you’re playing a finite game. Instead, we should continually point people to Jesus. Our goal is to lead more people to Jesus, and we will never see the end of that mission. We are part of an eternal story of God creating his family.
In Genesis 22, we learn about Abraham, one of the most influential people in human history. God blessed him with a son, Isaac, through whom he planned to change the world. Then God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac on an altar on Mount Moriah.
Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.
Abraham got up early the next morning without hesitation. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants along with his beloved son, Isaac. After chopping the wood for the burnt offering, they set out for the place God had instructed. On the third day of their journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he carried the fire and the knife. As they walked together, Isaac asked his dad where the sheep was for the burnt offering, and Abraham invited him to trust God.
God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son.
When they arrived at the designated place, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then, in an act of profound obedience, he tied his son Isaac and laid him on the altar atop the wood. Abraham picked up the knife to sacrifice his son, but at that very moment, the angel of the Lord stopped Abraham.
“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. This ram became the substitute for Isaac, showing that God indeed provides.
Like Abraham, we are called to trust and obey, believing that God has a plan and will provide for us in every situation, but imagine being in Abraham’s shoes. You’ve waited for a son your whole life, finally get one, and then God asks you to sacrifice him. Who do you love more? God or your son? This story foreshadows the crucifixion, when God gave his one and only Son. In fact, Mount Moriah is the same place where Jesus was crucified to cleanse us of our sins.
For this is how God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Moriah is not only where Jesus was crucified. It is also where the Jerusalem temple was built. In other words, things go to Mount Moriah to die so others can live. Isaac carried a cross up Mount Moriah 1900 years before Jesus carried a cross up Mount Moriah, and who held the knife that was going to kill Isaac? Abraham. In a purely just world, God should be our executioner, but instead, he provided a substitute.
Isaac didn’t know he was to be sacrificed, but Jesus willingly went to his death, knowing he was the Lamb of God. Romans killed Jesus, but they didn’t overpower God. God orchestrated the whole event. Jesus carried the cross, but God held the knife, while planning a resurrection.
We are like Isaac, meant to carry the cross, but Jesus took our place. Abraham trusted God because he was playing an infinite game. He didn’t need to understand every step God asked him to take because he knew God had a plan. When you are in the midst of pain, fear, or doubt, remember that God has a plan, and Christ died for us. Our pain is finite, but our life is infinite. We have eternal life because God sacrificed his Son so we could live. At the right moment, the Lamb will appear and make all things right.
Our journey as Christians is filled with moments where we don’t see the end, but we trust in God’s greater plan. Consider the broader implications of playing an infinite game in your own life. It means focusing on long-term goals and values rather than immediate successes. It means understanding that our efforts today may not show results immediately, but they contribute to a larger purpose. Our mission is not just about filling pews or achieving short-term goals. Our mission is about nurturing a lasting faith, spreading the message of Jesus, and building a community that endures beyond our lifetimes.
We are tempted to seek validation from social media likes, career achievements, or material possessions. We think these will bring us happiness and fulfillment, but true fulfillment comes from playing the infinite game—living for something greater than ourselves, investing in relationships, and cultivating a mature faith in God. In the grand scheme of things, our struggles and triumphs are part of a much larger narrative. The pain we experience, though real and sometimes overwhelming, is temporary. God’s eternal plan offers hope and redemption. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection provide us with the assurance that no matter what we face, God is with us and has a purpose for our lives.
When we shift our focus from finite to infinite, we become more resilient, more hopeful, and more committed to our faith. We understand that setbacks are not the end but part of the journey. God’s story is long, and his people are everywhere. Be faithful and play your part. We will be okay. Our families will be okay. We are part of an infinite game that will last beyond our lives, and God holds it all in his hands. At just the right moment, the Lamb will appear and make all things right. Take heart, for he has overcome the world. Let us live with the confidence that comes from knowing we are part of God’s eternal plan.
