WHOSE THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR?

 

JUNE 13, 2023

Genesis 4:3-8

“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—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. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 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 rule over it.”

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”



Cain and Abel. The very first siblings we encounter in the Bible. Do you ever wonder how the first humans went from eating forbidden fruit to murdering their own brother in such a short time?

I feel that their story is meant to serve as a warning to us. God’s words to Cain are striking, “sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” This admonition holds true for all of us. “sin is crouching" at our doors, too.

When God received Abel’s offering as acceptable and Cain’s He did not, rather than examining himself as to why his offering fell short, Cain immediately compared himself to Abel. In this, he allowed a seed of resentment and bitterness to take root. His anger was not directed at God, it was not directed at himself, it was wholly directed at his brother. That is some heavy duty deflecting!

God went to Cain and gave him an opportunity to bring his sin forward, but Cain wasn’t having any of that. He allowed his own sin to give birth to jealousy, envy, and bitterness to the point that he was consumed by it. And that comparison caused the death of his own brother.

Ok, I know that the act of comparison does not result in someone’s death all the time, the Cain and Abel story are an extreme example. Yet, there is something in the details of their story that serve as a caution to us. This story in Genesis 4 is a sobering truth of the power of sin when left unchecked. Do you remember what Jesus said? "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41.

Perhaps that is why we’re told in Scripture: "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Reflection

What are your own temptations?

What sin might be crouching at your door, desiring to have you?

LET US PRAY

God, Help me to live by faith and not my feelings.
Remind me that there is hope in you.
While, as Jesus said, the enemy (Satan) intends to steal, kill, and destroy; God you give limitless mercy, abounding grace, and abundant life.

Help me to turn to you, I need you daily.  Please help me with the temptations that I will face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.