Watch Out!

Daily Devotional, Monday, August 2, 2021

 But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

Genesis 4:7 (NIV)

Abel followed the prescribed method of worship. He found favour with God. Cain followed his own method. God rejected his sacrifice. “So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” (Genesis 4:5).

Our merciful God knew that Cain’s unrepentant spirit would lead to yet another sin, one that would drag Cain down the path of destruction. God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:6-7).

In other words, I accepted Abel’s sacrifice because he followed my instructions and had a righteous attitude.

Then came the warning that every human being must heed. “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you…” (Genesis 4:7).

By disobeying God and hating his brother, Cain had yielded to Satan. However, God had placed some special power in the hands of Cain. “…but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7).

When we entertain sinful thoughts and motives, we give sin the power to imprison us. Like a robber waiting in the darkest corner to pounce on unsuspecting travelers, so is sin when we venture into its path.

Like Cain, when we realize we are in sin, we should rely on the grace of God to overcome evil. The longer we linger in sin, the more powerful will be its tentacles. Like Cain, we may end up hurting our fellow men and God if ignore God’s warnings.

Merciful Father, I need your help to overcome sin.