Sin is crouching at the door

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out for a walk ‘, When they were out in the countryside, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.

The LORD asked Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ (verses 8,9)

Read Genesis 4:1-16

Very quickly we see God’s prediction come true. Human relationships are destroyed by emotions like envy, greed and anger. A false sense of injustice, an opportunity, and a young man lies dead.

Most people don’t take the extreme measures Cain did to solve their problems. But problems with relationships is probably the single most significant burden on humanity today. So many of us do not take God’s advice: ‘Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it’ (verses 6,7).

And so people belittle each other, undermine each other, gossip about each other, plot for revenge against each other and­ sadly, increasingly so today – solve problems through violence.

Despite what Cain had done, God had mercy on him. He had to live with the consequences of what he’d done, but was protected against the usually inevitable vengeance that was a feature of the ancient (and not so ancient) world. God also has mercy on us; he forgives us, and helps us to mend the hurts that are part of the consequences of our actions. By reconciling us with himself, he makes it possible for us to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters too.

Father, sin is constantly crouching at my door. I thank you that you give me the power to overcome it; I pray that you will give me courage and wisdom to use that power. Amen.

by Robert Turnbull, in ‘God’s Promises for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1999)

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