I've always loved this one so I thought I'd repost it for you to read or read again!
God’s Majesty in a Deck of Cards (Author Unknown)
The battlefield was unusually quiet that day. No gunfire. No mortars. No land mines shaking the ground. For the first time in a while, silence wrapped around the young soldier like a rare gift. He knew it was Sunday—the holiest day of the week.
Sitting on his bunk, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old deck of cards, spreading them out in front of him. As he did, the door swung open.
“Why aren’t you with the rest of the platoon?” his sergeant asked.
The soldier looked up. “I wanted to stay behind and spend some time with the Lord.”
The sergeant’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at the scattered cards. “Looks more like you’re playing a game.”
The soldier shook his head. “No, sir. Since we’re not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books here, I’ve learned to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.”
The sergeant crossed his arms. “Oh? And how do you do that?”
The soldier picked up the first card.
- “The Ace reminds me that there is only one God.
- The Two represents the two parts of the Bible—the Old and New Testaments.
- The Three stands for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- The Four represents the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
- The Five reminds me of the ten virgins; five were ready for the bridegroom and were glorified.
- The Six is for the six days God took to create the heavens and the earth.
- The Seven represents the day He rested.
- The Eight reminds me of Noah and his family—the eight souls saved from the flood.
- The Nine is for the ten lepers Jesus healed; only one returned to thank Him.
- The Ten stands for the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses.
- The Jack is a reminder of Satan—once one of God’s angels, but cast out for his wickedness. Now, he’s the true joker of eternal damnation.
- The Queen represents the Virgin Mary.
- The King? That’s Jesus—the King of all kings.
The soldier looked down at the cards, then back at his sergeant.
“But it doesn’t stop there. When I count all the dots on every card, I get 365—one for each day of the year. There are 52 cards in the deck, just like the 52 weeks in a year. The four suits remind me of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. And each suit has 13 cards—just like the 13 weeks in each quarter of the year.”
He exhaled, voice softer now. “So when I need to talk to God, when I want to thank Him, I don’t need a Bible. I just pull out this old deck of cards, and they remind me of everything He’s done for me.”
For a moment, the room was silent.
The sergeant swallowed hard, his expression shifting. Then, with tears in his eyes and a weight in his voice, he asked, “Soldier… can I borrow that deck of cards?”
May this be a reminder to take time to pray for all our soldiers—those who leave home, risking their lives to protect ours. May God be with them always.
Psalm 111:3 (NLT) "Everything God does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails."
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
