The Human Effect of the Domino Effect
January 22, 2009 (Thursday)
The Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Galveston is closing for a while and laying off workers because its income has dropped. Many children have been helped whose parents did not have to pay, because income from a foundation paid the bills. Now the assets of that foundation have lost value because of the current financial crisis, and the hospital is operating at a considerable deficit. This is a sad example of the domino effect at work, first in the financial world a bank fails, then additional institutions are affected, and ultimately real people suffer where they live.
Many senior citizens counted on earning interest from their savings for retirement income. Now they are spending their savings, which are limited. Other types of investments are suffering in the same way. In this situation, there’s “good news and bad news.” The good news is that the situation will improve eventually and the bad news is that it will get worse before it gets better.
When Moses was leading the children of Israel out of the land of bondage and towards the promised land, God led him into a surprising situation in which he and his were trapped in a place by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon, where there was no way out. Repeating, NO WAY OUT! Then came Pharaoh with his great army. In Exodus 14:10, the reaction of the Israelites is described: “They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.” You know the results. The sea opened and they crossed over on dry ground, but the pursuing Pharaoh and his armies were drowned.
God is able to help us. Will we trust Him? Will we call upon Him?