The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 4:2b-5,
"Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."
As the story continues we learn that Cain brought his offering knowing it was not what the Lord wanted. Cain was "doing it his way". It is almost as if Cain expected the Lord to accommodate him rather than the other way around. An attitude not unlike what is often seen in our day.
The Lord tells Cain in verse 7, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." As we read on we find that Cain murdered Abel. Sin masters Cain as it does all mankind down through the ages.
We can glean enough to know from the tale that Cain knew what the Lord desired. Rather than serve the Lord Cain, became "very angry, and his face was downcast." His response was to take out his anger against the one serving the Lord, Abel.
Christians should not find it surprising they are attacked by the other so-called religions and viewpoints in the world today. John talks about this in 1 John 3:12-13 where he refers to this episode between Cain and Abel.
Something that catches my attention this morning is that the Lord made his desires known. Cain knew what the Lord wanted. So did Abel. So do we today.
What would life be like if we really didn't know what it was the Lord expected from us, what the Lord desires from us, what pleases and delights him? But he has let us know.
He has put into place that which has been necessary to get the gospel message out to all. It may seem like a small thing, but as I think of what things would otherwise be like, I am grateful to him for communicating with us!
As the story continues we learn that Cain brought his offering knowing it was not what the Lord wanted. Cain was "doing it his way". It is almost as if Cain expected the Lord to accommodate him rather than the other way around. An attitude not unlike what is often seen in our day.
The Lord tells Cain in verse 7, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." As we read on we find that Cain murdered Abel. Sin masters Cain as it does all mankind down through the ages.
We can glean enough to know from the tale that Cain knew what the Lord desired. Rather than serve the Lord Cain, became "very angry, and his face was downcast." His response was to take out his anger against the one serving the Lord, Abel.
Christians should not find it surprising they are attacked by the other so-called religions and viewpoints in the world today. John talks about this in 1 John 3:12-13 where he refers to this episode between Cain and Abel.
Something that catches my attention this morning is that the Lord made his desires known. Cain knew what the Lord wanted. So did Abel. So do we today.
What would life be like if we really didn't know what it was the Lord expected from us, what the Lord desires from us, what pleases and delights him? But he has let us know.
He has put into place that which has been necessary to get the gospel message out to all. It may seem like a small thing, but as I think of what things would otherwise be like, I am grateful to him for communicating with us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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