The Pusher

Dominoes. Interesting objects, are they not? If you line them up correctly and push just one, the entire series will fall into the place that they were destined to be. Have you ever found life to be the same? Have you ever thought that maybe we're all just dominoes, positioned perfectly? When one is pushed, a whole slew of reactions just come...almost like magic. 

But maybe it's more than that--maybe it's not really magic at all; maybe it's power. Divinity. Truth, beauty, perfection, authority. After all, every domino that falls had to have been pushed. So who's lining the dominoes up? And who's making them fall into place?

The world has obviously concocted countless answers to this vital question, but only one can be correct. While this is an entire debate on philosophy and faith alone, it's not what I'm going to explore today; I already have my answer: the triune God. Just as He is the one setting the dominoes up and making them fall into line, everything around us is a domino (including ourselves). One domino falls and it inspires an entire parade of reactions and consequences, good and bad alike. So here's part of my domino story:

Born of and raised by Christian parents, I became a Christian myself at a young age and I grew up believing. Sure, I had my occasional doubts, but I was overall certain of my faith... yet I was somewhat embarrassed by it. Sadly, I think that's the tendency with many Christ followers; we might be totally sure of what we believe in, but maybe we're shy or afraid of someone else's beliefs making more sense. Depending on the person and/or circumstance, it could be something entirely different. But whatever the cause, it must stop. And for me, at least for a few months in 2009, it did. Something just changed and suddenly I was closer to God than I had ever been. But then, a couple of other things changed, and I was drifting away once more. Sure, I still believed. But I no longer truly lived it. And yet again, something else has changed. A domino has fallen.

About six months ago, while cleaning/organizing my room, I stumbled upon one of my several Bibles. I opened it up "randomly" to Romans 2:1, an unfailingly powerful verse:

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

It spoke volumes, and it hit me hard. So hard, in fact, that I just had to write it on a note and stick it by my bed. Before I knew it, I was collecting other Bible verses and placing them by my bed. Whenever I see a verse that just speaks to me or that I read and go, "Oooh. Wish I'd written that..." it goes on a Post-It and finds its place on my wall. Not too long after that mini hobby started, I got the idea to do a blog about Bible verses, their practical applications, etc. And then, a great title came to me: When Life Gives You Sermons. 

So in September of last year, I made my account on here and it just sat there for awhile. Life happened, and one thing or another was preventing me from actually publishing anything. When the New Year began, I knew it was my chance to sit down and write this thing. Though it's been several months since 2011 rolled in, I'm finally here.  

As I write, you read. And, hey. Who knows, maybe a domino will fall.