Warning signs on the road are always very helpful in order to prepare for what is coming up ahead. They can indicate a particularly dangerous bend in the road or perhaps a change in conditions. Often there are flashing lights indicating the need to slow down and take special care. Sometimes we come upon signs specifically warning us of danger and we must not go beyond a particular point. It is of course up to each person to either obey or disregard the warnings and risk injuring themselves or others.
In yesterday's reading, God spoke to Cain regarding the anger he was harbouring against his brother. Warning signs regarding the destructive power of sin were raised but it seems that Cain ignored them, giving into temptation and letting anger and violence take hold of him:
"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. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." But the Lord said to him, "Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden." Genesis 4:8-16 NIV
Sibling rivalry can be bad at times but this situation ended in premeditated murder! Cain deliberately asked Abel to go out into the fields. Abel obviously had no idea of what was to come or it's unlikely he would have agreed to go anywhere with his brother!
God gave Cain the opportunity to confess as he asked him where his brother was, all the while knowing he had murdered him. Cain thought he could hide his sin from God and his reply seems disrespectful and full of attitude, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
It is obvious that at this time, Cain had listened to the voice of the enemy and had fallen so far that he appeared to have no remorse or fear. He had an opportunity to confess and ask God to forgive him but he didn't but was soon brought to his senses when God pronounced a curse even greater than Adam's curse. However, instead of feeling remorse for his sin, Cain bitterly complained to God about the severity of his punishment and self pity seemed to set in. Cain was fearful for his life but God lovingly protected him with a special mark to prevent others from killing him.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the many warning signs you place before us as we read Your Word. We clearly have a detailed guide on how to live and the things we should avoid. We can see how easily sin rose up in Cain and led to destruction. Sin became Cain's master instead of You having that place. Thank You so much that we have the gift of the Holy Spirit and so we don't live by the flesh:
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:16-23 NIV
May my life be marked by all the fruit of the Spirit, for Your glory,
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
"For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Psalms 36:9 NLT
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Light and Life for Today
EspiritualA daily devotional for your time alone with God. In an increasingly dark world, more than ever, we need to look beyond what we can see, past our present circumstances. In order to see the light and experience life as our Heavenly Father intended, I...
