Dominoes

Have you ever started a project that seemed simple only to realize it was far more tangled than you thought? That was me this week, cleaning and organizing my kitchen.

It began under the sink, where a few flower vases had taken up residence. They didn’t belong there, but the cabinet where they do belong was in disarray. You know the one: the door you open carefully because you’re afraid of the Tupperware tower will come tumbling out.

I moved on to that cabinet next only to discover pots and pans that should’ve been elsewhere contributing to the chaos of to-go containers. The deeper I dug, the more misplaced things I found. Each one represented a small decision, quick fix or an “I’ll deal with it later” moment.

Before long, one little organizing project had set off a chain reaction. Like a row of dominoes, one thing led to another until the whole kitchen demanded attention. Life is like that, isn’t it? We think we’re dealing with one small thing, but every part touches another. When one area slips out of order, others begin to follow.

Our spiritual lives work the same way. We get busy and skip time with the Lord.
When we stop being with Him, we stop becoming like Him.
And when we stop becoming like Him, we stop doing as He did.

Soon, what was once a steady rhythm of grace becomes a scattered mess of good intentions.

Disconnection leads to distraction.
Distraction leads to disorder.
Disorder leads to distance.

That’s the domino effect of neglecting our spiritual lives. It often starts small but spreads quietly.

Jesus knew the power of connection and called us to it.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
John 15:4

He doesn’t call us to control everything. He calls us to stay connected because when our connection with Him is strong, every other piece begins to fall into place. The dominoes still fall, but this time, they fall in rhythm with His grace.

Today, take the opportunity to pull the dominoes closer together again, closing the gap between what we know, what we believe and how we live it out. Ask Him, “Lord, where have I allowed distance to grow between us?” Then let Him reset the row. Because the same God who can stop a chain reaction of chaos can start a chain reaction of peace.

Let Him bring order to the places that have grown cluttered, calm to the places that feel chaotic and closeness where there’s been drift. One surrendered space at a time, He restores what’s fallen out of rhythm. It doesn’t take much to set things right, just a gentle touch from the Master’s hand.

He isn’t just the One who sets things right. He’s the reason we long for restoration to begin with. When we MAKE ROOM for Him, everything else finds its rightful place for He is the treasure. He is the prize.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10