Then the Lord said to Cain, “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.” –Genesis 4:6-7
This is one of my favourite excerpts from the Bible. It carries such a powerful message that we often take for granted as Christians. I am sure we all know the story behind this message, but for those who don’t… Cain and his brother Abel offered sacrifices to God. Cain, who worked the soil, brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to God. Abel on the other hand, tended flocks, and he brought fat portion from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord favoured Abel’s offering and this made his brother angry.
Why do you think God favoured Abel’s offering over Cain’s? I honestly think his problem was the attitude with which he brought his offering. Cain was very prideful. He made this even more apparent when he responded with anger because he couldn’t bear that his brother’s offering was accepted over his. We can see how the seed of sin is quickly growing in Cain, the sin of spiritual pride and hypocrisy.
God saw into Cain’s heart and warned him about what he found in there. He lovingly told him that if he did what was right and yanked out that seed of sin, he would be accepted, but if he didn’t, sin was crouching at his door. God was blatantly warning Cain here about the destructive power of sin, and informing him of the redeeming power of repentance.
Just like Cain, the seed of sin is birth into all of us as a single thought and we have the power to choose between doing what is right and that which isn’t. God is warning you today that sin is crouching at the door of your heart waiting to come in and rule over you. But take heart, you can master it! And if you do not want to be devoured, you will master it. The only way to master or subdue sin is to allow God to be the master of your heart. You become slave to whatever force is at work in your heart. If God already occupies your heart, it will become easier to overcome sin.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” –Rev. 3:20
Why don’t you let the words of God rule your hearts so that you can hear his gentle knock and let him in? Do what is right so that you will be accepted. If you don’t, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but with God as the master of your heart, you will subdue sin! What is it going to be?
Stay blessed and spread the word.
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YOU MUST MASTER SIN