The Lion at Your Door – Cheryl Weber
In Genesis 4, we find the tragic story of two brothers and two offerings. Abel brought to the Lord, “the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock.” Gen 4:4 NLT Cain brought the best of his crops. For reasons only God fully understands, God accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s. Rather than bring the offering God really wanted, Cain nursed his grievances over the rejection, allowing bitterness and anger against Abel and God to poison his soul and spirit.
“Why are you angry?” God asked Cain. “If you do well, will [you] not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:6-7 NASB
Sin mastered Cain instead when he ignored the Lord’s warning and continued down his path to destruction, committing the first murder in mankind’s history.
God came again to Cain and asked, “Where is your brother Abel?” Gen 4:9a NASB
Cain replied, “How should I know? Am I my brother’s babysitter?” Gen 4:9b NASB
This rejection of a second chance at confession and restoration cost Cain dearly as God cursed the ground Cain loved and tilled. But worst of all, he was cast out of God’s presence, doomed to wander aimlessly through life.
Just like Cain, we can stubbornly refuse to repent when God calls us to deal with our sin. We will then continue down our own path toward bondage and destruction. We will invite the power of Satan into our lives, no matter how unintentionally, for he is lurking outside the door of our hearts, all too ready to devour and destroy us. 1 Peter 5:8
Or, we can open the door of our hearts in obedience to Christ (Revelation 3:20) through acknowledging our wrongs, turning away from our sin, and yielding our lives to his love and control. We will then be truly blessed (Psalms 32:1-2) and set free from sin’s power. John 8:36.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I resist the devil and all his temptations as I yield to you my body, mind, and spirit in humble repentance and obedience. AMEN
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