Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Repent and Return
“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.” (7)
St. Augustine
once said, “God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but he has not
promised tomorrow to your procrastination.”
The desire
found in the first worship
In Genesis 4,
we see the first worship ever since creation. We see Cain and Abel bringing
their offerings before God. God accepted Abel’s offering, because Abel brought
the best part of the firstborn of his flock. He did not give the youngest and
the last in the flock, nor did he give the boniest parts, but he gave what He
felt God should be given, because God is the one who gave to Him.
Unfortunately, Cain merely brought just some fruits that he gardened. He did
not look to give the best fruits, or what would have been the first fruits,
which showed that Cain did not feel the same sort of gratefulness towards God
that his brother did. Yet, when God accepted Abel’s offering, that stirs
jealousy and anger within Cain.
God’s warning
to turn from sin
When God spoke
to Cain, He warned Cain to overcome sin, that sin is crouching at his door, and
he needs to overcome the sin. He gave Cain two options, and He gives us the
same two options today. Go in the right path, or do not heed God’s warning and
take the wrong path. When temptation comes our way, God is willing to give us a
way out. The choice is ours whether or not we want to take that way out.
Justice and
mercy of God
Cain is given
yet another opportunity to confess his sin when God asks him where Abel is, but
even in that moment, Cain is so consumed by his sin that he refuses to repent.
God, being a just God, delivers His punishment for Cain. In that moment, Cain
realizes how he had fallen from the grace of God, and that he took advantage of
God’s mercy. Yet, even though God punishes Cain, He marks Cain with a sign, so
no one else will kill him. God continued to show His mercy towards Cain,
despite Cain’s disobedience. We can turn to God and confess our sins, or we can
continue in our sin and not heed His warnings. The choice is ours to make.
Knowing that tomorrow is not guaranteed, what is your choice today?
Prayer: God, we know that you love us, and you
have created us to worship you. Yet, we fall into sin. Help us to repent of our
sins and return to you, so we may experience your love. Amen.
Thought for
the Day: Disobedience
drives us farther from God. Repentance brings us nearer to Him.
Mat Stan Samuel, St, Paul’s MTC, Dallas