There’s a lot said when you give a gift to someone. I personally want the gift to be meaningful to the receiver or something that’s of use to them. I know that hasn’t always been the case when I’ve received gifts. Sometimes I’ve thought aloud in my head while raising my eye brow in complete stupefied-ness… “not that I’m expecting something from you, but if this is it, not receiving a gift would have been better.!” A gift can say a lot of how the giver actually values that person. Of course some may have the lack of money as a reason, but we will get to that point soon.
While reading through Genesis tonight… and I’ve read it plenty of times before, but tonight I got stuck on a certain part. Chapter 4 talks about the harvest when Cain and Abel offered gifts to God, Cain cultivated the ground and Abel became a Shepard.
3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
I can already visualize Cain’s response to this whole scenario. I remember through life when someone, let’s say a student for example, was asked to do something. So they do it with enough effort to get them by, just doing it to do it, because they were asked. It says Cain presented SOME of his crops as a gift to the Lord. In other words he didn’t really put much thought into the quality of his gift or making it an abundance. It wasn’t much of a sacrifice from his own stash. In his mind he was probably thinking… well it’s God… He doesn’t need much. While Abel, thoroughly thought about the gift he was giving, he found appreciation in his own gift to God. He found value in his relationship with God and wanted to show it by giving his best portions. Some people may think, what a waste.. think about the woman who poured perfume on Jesus feet. She also gave her best. She didn’t go find the cheapest, she wanted to show Jesus value by giving a sacrifice of what she had. How we respond and think of others really does matter, especially when it comes to exalting the most high.
I enjoy cooking food, especially when I’m feeding others. It also gives me gratitude when I’m able to give them the first helping or the best portion of the meal. I have no problem taking the less desirable. May not have been that way when I was younger… but through life’s lessons, I can relate when other’s have given me the least likely portion of the meal, while they were in a rush to get the best portion, and they were the ones who invited me over in the first place….”Ouch”. I can tell you from that experience I never did care if I ever went back.
But it doesn’t end there. Due to Cain’s response to God, destruction awaited him. Keep this verse in mind for instance found in James 4:17 “17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (NIV). James, the brother of Jesus even knew that if our heart isn’t in the right place, it’s going to show. It’s going to show in how we respond to people, behave in secret and the things we partake in. Who are you really? Ask yourself that question. Do you find value in giving the best to God? Or do you find it to be a waste? After all God did create the universe. Meditate on this: Matthew 6:26-27 “26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (NKJV).” I’ve come across a lot of people who believe the resources of the earth are easily wasted…but God created the earth. So many have limited God to the likeness of man kind. God loves us enough to provide. Yes we are also stewards of God, but we are His creation. We personally take special value and care of our own creations do we not? Continuing on….
6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?7 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.”
Right off the bat God warns Cain about what is about to come due to the result of his action towards Him. I never want to pretend to be God, but I do understand if I felt rejected by something I created… things aren’t going to look so promising for that creation anymore… can you relate?
There have been times, even recently, where I have not responded the best to God in my circumstances. There’s times where we may be angry at God, but then there’s times where that anger because corrupted with selfishness, bitterness, resentment, doubt, lack of hope and you can keep going. I’ve been in positions where I made God in my own mind out to be Cain himself. Someone who does just enough but doesn’t really care or hear us. That can open the doors to many other sins. But God’s not limited to human boundaries. No He is indeed the great I AM! But again, God tried to warn Cain. Be careful, what you have done has now opened a gateway that can ultimately lead you to destruction.
8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.”[c] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. 9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel? “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”
Not only did Cain’s response open the doors of other sins to consume his mind, but it affected his own family. He ignored God’s warning and murdered his own brother. Devastation can play out in so many ways when we don’t take our relationship with God seriously. Have you ever taken into consideration how much your sin affects, not just your life but those around you? It really does make a whole world of difference. Adam, Eve and their son Cain, the World’s First Sinners! The first dysfunctional family. I hope this puts your response to God and sin in your own life into perspective.
I always wondered, did Cain think that God wouldn’t find out about his brother being killed? Or was he just playing stupid like some students do when they don’t want to confess to their teachers or parents? He knew if God found out, punishment was well on it’s way.
13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment[d] is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”
15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod,[e] east of Eden.
I’m thinking Cain learned his lesson well after being kicked out, having a mark on his body in fear of others wanting to kill him and having the thought play out in his mind for the rest of his life of the last time he saw his brother, killed by his own hands.
All this, because Cain’s response to God, his love for God and his value of God, wasn’t where it should have been. I personally see we are often run dry because we don’t give God enough time of day to show our sincere value and appreciation of His love. We have so much to be thankful for. I’m happy I don’t have to live a life of guilt and shame. I’m thankful Jesus shed His blood for my own soul. And because of the importance of who God is, is the reason why we need to respond to others with love. The same love and gratitude God gave us. You know sin has it’s devastation… but Love is?????? Greater than anything. It’s even greater than fear.
What is your response?
Rev G
Refined as Pure Gold 