The Domino Effect

“I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because
you have done this thing, I will surely bless you.”
Genesis 22:16-17

Setting up dominos with my granddaughters recently reminded me of the elaborate designs that people create, all with the goal of knocking down one domino, and setting off a chain reaction that knocks over hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of perfectly arranged dominos.

The domino effect is a phrase used for situations where one often small action sets off a chain reaction of events, often in rapid sequence. Let me give you a very present example. Yesterday’s storms throughout the Midwest disrupted air travel setting off a series of events that have left me sitting here at my laptop typing this devotion. The storm caused the plane we were supposed to take off on at 5:50 am today to never make it to Detroit last night, resulting in our flight this morning being cancelled. Once that happened, students had to be notified, rides had to be rearranged, new flights are still in the process of being scheduled, the pick-up by missionaries in Managua, Nicaragua had to be put on hold, and afternoon plans there scrapped. And all because of domino number one, the storm that passed through yesterday.

Abraham set off his own domino effect when he decided to obey God in offering his son Isaac to the Lord as a sacrifice. God saw Abraham’s obedience and responded with this: “Because you have done this thing, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.” That promise was fulfilled in pure domino effect fashion; Abraham’s one act of obedience set off a chain reaction of God’s incredible blessing on Abraham’s life and family. So consider this:

• You can set off a chain reaction of blessing in your own life by one act of obedience.
• You have the power, if you’ll take the initiative, to greatly bless your own life.
• The domino effect is waiting for anyone to experience who’ll do the little things, who’ll take the first step, pick up the phone, approach someone outside your inner circle of comfort, make a coffee date with someone you haven’t talked to in a while, send an email to a friend who’s been on your heart, or more.
• Your action, your part, is knocking over the first domino; God will do the rest! And as far as when to get started – the best day is always today!

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church