When you read the book of Genesis you see the creation of the world and the fall of man all within the first 10000 words. You also have the first murder. Cain and Able is the story that sometimes we skip right over as we read scriptures. As I was reading this passage I was struck by this passage found in chapter 4.
You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." Genesis 4:7 NLT
The background is Able was a shepherd; he raised sheep and cattle, Cain was a farmer he raised corn wheat and crops. There came a time when they made offerings of sacrifice to the Lord and God accepted Able's and refused Cain's. Cain gets mad and jealous and leads to the death of his younger brother.
There are two questions that come to mind when you read this. First what was wrong with his sacrifice and two what does God mean when he says sin is crouching at the door, and seeks to control you. A quick answer to the first one was not about what he brought but his attitude was in the bringing. A simple thought for you and I do we worship God or do we worship a god of our own design. How we come to worship is more important than whet we bring with us. Worship God for who he is not what he can do for you.
The second question is what got me. I don’t know about you but that’s a scary thought that sin waits around for you to open the door. However, it’s true. We all have a choice to make when things happen in our lives. How we respond opens or closes the door on that sin that’s waiting for a chance to have its way in your life. In Able’s case is anger and jealousy led him to commit the first murder. Now all of this was prior to the Laws of Moses so there were unsderstood right and wrong behavior prior to the law. Today whether you believe in Jesus or live under the law or don’t believe in anything there are acceptable actions that you must live by. Christians and Jews call this sin. Sin is controlling and hard to walk away from as it often meets one’s fleshly desires.
The choice though is yours. Do you give into those desires and live against the morales and norms of the world or do you master those desires and control yourself. God does not require you to do it but he desires for you to live above your desires.
I pray you find the strength to do the latter the life you make is the one you chose not the one you accept. Live a life of right choices and you live a life of purpose.
