God’s story begins to speed up. With sin in the world, evil rears its ugly head.
Cain and Abel, the first two born of Adam and Eve, give offerings to the Lord. Abel’s offering was the best of his herds. Cain’s was not ‘best’ quality and God was not pleased. Cain grew upset.
At this point God spoke words to Cain that caught my attention. Here is what God said, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 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 master it" (6-7).
The imagery of the last sentence launched my meditations thinking.
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door… the image of a tiger slinking closer and closer to her prey poised in the grasses waiting to pounce, flooded my thoughts. Sin is a cunning enemy, a skilled hunter always lurking, waiting to pounce upon an unsuspecting prey. I must be diligent. I ‘know’ when I am living foolishly, straying from the safety of God’s Word and putting myself in danger. But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door!
God continues with Cain…sin desires to have you, but you must master it." Sin desires to have me… it licks its lips when it sees me. Straying from the safety of living as God desires, puts me in danger. I must stay close to God and when He says run, I take off because danger lurks. I bear certain responsibility to live in such a way that I am out of reach of a dangerous enemy. I must master it!
Lord, though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, I will not fear for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us…
Oh, God, may I understand the wisdom of Martin Luther and place all my trust in You! Through Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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