Corona Devo 3328

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 

(3) In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 
(4) 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, (5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.  
(6) Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? (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 rule over it.”  ~Genesis 4:1-7

~~~

God must have known something that we don't. 

Why wasn't Cain's offering (from the field) accepted as favorably as Abel's offering (from the flocks)? We aren't told.

We don't know why Abel's was acceptable and why Cain's was sub-par to the Lord's liking.  We don't know.

But we do know that sometimes our offering to God (in heart/deed/resources/prayer) is full and real and authentic...and true.  We know when we provide a truly willing gift (offering!) to God from us.  (Like Abel did).

And sometimes, we bring an offering to God, but it is not wholly presented to our holy God.

Do we ever give/serve/pray because we feel we have to instead of because we want to?  These are not true or acceptable offerings to our Lord. 

Obligated offerings are not looked on with favor from our Lord.   He doesn't need what we are presenting, but there is a special/spiritual/unexplainable exchange that occurs when we do bring an acceptable offering to God.

The Lord is pleased.  He is blessed by our whole-hearted offerings to Him...by our worship to Him.  And we are blessed by the cycle of presenting our offering and ourselves in this way before Him.

We can feel good about providing a whole and holy offering to God.  
I believe that Abel felt good when he brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock (Genesis 4:4). 

But...(the Lord is poking our hearts here), is what we are offering to God today 100%...or a percentage?

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, (5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.  ~Genesis 4:4-5

We don't know the whole story with Cain and Abel.

But God did.

We do know the whole story with our life and daily heart-offerings to the Lord.

Are we presenting ourselves as an acceptable offering...or an unacceptable offering?

Only God knows.

And we do too.

We either feel God's peace right now...or there is guilt or anger or fear.  

We have the opportunity to make changes.  We have today to bring an acceptable offering to our Holy 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...  ~Genesis 4:4

God (of course) knows things that we don't.  He connected Cain's unfavorable offering...with sin and with not doing what is right.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 
(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 rule over it.”  ~Genesis 4:6-7

There was sin standing between Cain and his favorable offering to the Lord.

If Cain had been doing what is right, then his offering would have been acceptable to the Lord.  We don't know what Cain was doing wrong, but the Lord addressed him directly to give him the opportunity to do right.

We do not want sin standing between us and our Lord.  

Sin is incessant.  It never relents in pursuing us, but we can relent in allowing it to have us.  

Not today, satan.

Sin is crouching at our door.  Sin does desire to have us.  But let's access our inner "Abel" today, and rule over it.  

  • ...sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  ~Genesis 4:6-7  
  • 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...  ~Genesis 4:4

Father, may our offerings and our hearts be full and real and authentic...and true to You today.  Help us to rule over the temptation or tendency to sin, and may we do right, with Your help.  We have today to bring an acceptable offering to You, Holy Lord. Amen.

Blessings,

sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com  


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