If thou doest well....

Recently, I have been facing a situation where I was at fault and had to be taught a lesson by God Himself. Its never easy when we are wrong, but as long as we can submit to God's authority, we will pass the test and advance to new levels with Him.

Genesis chapter 4 talks about two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, the older, was a tiller of the soil, a farmer, while Abel was a keeper of sheep, a shepherd. They both knew God, but it becomes clearer that they each had a different relationship with Him. When the time of sacrifice came, both men were faithful in presenting an offering unto God, one that God accepted and the other, rejected.

A bible study service at church taught me that Abel's relationship with God was evidently deeper and Abel respected God more than his brother. When Abel brought his sacrifice of an animal, in my understanding, it means that he had to take time to prepare it for the offering. By the time he presented it, God was satisfied with Abel's gift, since he did it with an unblemished heart, out of love.  Cain's offering of crops was rejected by God. He questioned God about His decision, and God told him, that if he had done well, his sacrifice would have been accepted, like his brother's. In a wave of jealously, we later learn, that Cain killed his brother over the matter. 

The thing is, what we bring to God is not the question of weather it be rejected or not. It is how we do it. For example, do we give God worship from our hearts, or do we just allow sound to escape from our lips? Do we meet with God in the early hours of the morning to speak to him in prayer, or do we just utter some words when we remember to pray? Did Cain bring crops that were left over, or rotting among the few good ones? Did he intentionally decide to give to God after he had taken for himself? Did he give God something that costed him or did he give Him something that meant nothing? 

Church, after the offering, God gave Cain an opportunity to do the right thing when he told him to do well, so that his sacrifice will be accepted. I believe for myself today, that there are many areas where I have grown comfortable and have not been doing well in the eyes of God. I have learned in this time to give God something that will be accepted - not rejected. Let us take God more seriously, for He is our Creator. He stands over us in all power and authority. If we do well in His sight, blessings will follow... if not the curse will overtake us - Cain became a vagabond and a wanderer - a cursed man!
Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice... He gave his body over to torment, persecution, beating... He was spat upon, insulted, ridiculed, abused... and He did it out of love for you and me. Let us therefore NOW, give Him a sacrifice that He deserves... I chose to do well... what do you choose?