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Feb 04, 2024 06:00am

Sin is Crouching at Your Door

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Most weeks, I dedicate part of my quiet time each day to studying the small group discussion guide my church provides for the small groups to use. I especially love that the studies line up with the sermon the pastor will give that week. Preparing my heart for the message God has for me by meditating on the passage all week puts me in a place of readiness by Sunday. Most of the time, the pastor takes an approach on the passage that I never even considered, and occasionally he speaks more deeply into something God has been speaking into my heart all week long. Either way, it is always interesting to see how God can use the same passage of Scripture to introduce or reinforce so many important points. God’s Word is a never-ending source of wisdom, encouragement, and guidance.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart.”

This past week, I studied Genesis 4:1-15. This passage was full of golden nuggets I needed to ponder. At the beginning of the study, the writer encouraged the readers to set an alarm on our phones to go off every day this week with the message: “Sin is crouching at the door.” This was from Genesis 4:7, which says, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door.”

Every day this week at 11:15 A.M., my alarm would go off with the message, “Sin is crouching at your door.” As I studied the entire passage this week, that message held more and more meaning. The passage describes how Cain and Abel both presented offerings to God. Cain was a farmer who worked the land. Abel became a shepherd of flocks. When it was time to present their offerings to God, Cain presented some of the land’s produce, and Abel presented some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions (the first and best of what he had). God accepted Abel’s gift, but He did not regard Cain’s offering. Cain was furious. God knew what Cain was thinking. He understood his heart and saw that he was focused more on himself than God. He gave something, and he thought that should be good enough. But, God desired more than just a “gift” to check off the list of to-do’s. God wanted Cain’s heart.

Verse 4 was God speaking to Cain after rejecting his offering. He was giving Cain a reminder of what He desired. But, because Cain was so focused on his feelings of rejection and jealousy, he was allowing those feelings to drive his thoughts. He needed to be reminded that allowing his perspective to be focused on himself rather than God was a dangerous move. God warned Cain that sin was crouching at his door.

Because Cain’s heart was focused inward, he allowed his sin nature to drive his decisions. His jealousy and rage drove him to murder his brother.

After Cain allowed his sinful heart to lead him to kill Abel, God asked Cain where Abel was and what he had done to him. This was not because God didn’t know or that He wasn’t aware of what was going on in Cain’s heart or in his physical choices. God asked questions to help Cain take a look at his choices and own his sin. Cain chose to deflect responsibility and failed to see his guilt. God told Cain that he was “cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive [his] brother’s blood [he] shed…and if [he] worked the ground, it would never again give [him] its yield. [He] would be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (verses 11 and 12)

So, Cain sinned when he gave an offering that was not genuine. Then, he allowed jealousy and rage to go unchecked in his heart. God tried to warn him to recognize that sin was crouching at his door and was ready to be unleashed if he didn’t repent and do what was right. God wanted Cain to shift his perspective and focus on Him, but Cain refused. His punishment would be a constant reminder of the choice he made to choose to follow sin instead of obedience.

But, wait! There’s more. After God told Cain what his consequence would be, Cain rebutted that it was too harsh. He was STILL focused inwardly. God saw Cain’s heart when he gave his offering, when he was jealous of his brother and mad at Him, when he refused to take heed of God’s warning, and when he complained that his consequence was too harsh. Yet, God showed Cain mercy and allowed him protection from experiencing the same fate as he gave his brother.

Every day this week, I was reminded that sin is crouching at my door, just like it was for Cain, which prompted me to look at my heart and evaluate my motives and decisions. I was reminded that even if I looked obedient on the outside, I was just as much at risk of allowing sin to drive me as Cain was. I was also reminded of God’s goodness in that He seeks after me and wants to know me personally…and He chose to show me ultimate mercy and grace by taking on the punishment I deserved when He bore my sins on the cross. He protects me, just like He protected Cain, not because either one of us deserved it, but because He loves even a sinner like me.

I think I might keep that alarm turned on a while longer. I have a feeling I will need to be reminded often!