Daily Reading
Daily Thought
Cain and Abel each bring an offering to God, one of fruit and the other a firstborn lamb. God found Abel’s acceptable, but why not Cain’s?
The essence of worship is faith and trust, humility and submission, devotion and awe. The Lord said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). The problem was not fruit or flock, but Cain’s attitude. There was no contrition, no faith, no love or adoration. It was, at best, an offering of duty, and more likely one of greed and rivalry and pride. Cain gave in hopes of getting.
The warning is in verse 7, “And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Sin has a life of its own, crouching tiger-like, waiting to spring and strike and devour. My dad told us boys, “The problem with kittens is they grow up to be cats.” My dad did not like cats. Beware when you keep little sins as little pets – they grow up. Sin craves repetition until it takes hold and becomes a habit and so becomes master.
This is why worship more than willpower beats the beast in this battle. Willpower gives us strength but worship guards our heart and transforms our desires. When I worship rightly, I shoo the beast away from my heart and put God back on his throne.
Daily Prayer
My wonderful God, may my life be the first thing I bring to You as an offering, as worship. I shall love You with all that I am, my heart and soul and mind and might. And sin I shall hate. You are going to have to help me with this. Please, do whatever it takes.
Amen