Today’s Truth
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:21 NIV)
Friend to Friend
It’s recorded in the book of Genesis that at the dawn of creation God
made the heavens and the earth, separated light from darkness, and that
everything was good. Then He held the sky away from the water,
established day and night, and it was good. Next, He spoke the land,
seas, sun, moon and stars into existence, and again all good. He went on
to fill the earth with fish, birds, and animals, and fashion man in His
own image ... and it was good, good, good and good. Then He rested -
which we ALL know is awesome. Amen? Amen.
Peace covered the earth like a warm blanket.
God had a perfect relationship with all that He created. Adam and Eve
got to know Him intimately. They walked and talked with Him in the
Garden of Eden in a way so pure and sacred I can scarcely imagine.
Then Adam and Eve wrecked the good with greed.
They rejected what was meant to be respected, took what was not theirs
to take, ate what was not theirs to eat, and sent perfection into a
downward spiral of impossibility.
After good was spoken and perfection broken God sent Adam and Eve out
of Eden. And it was there in their freshly fallen, imperfect reality
that they conceived their first son, Cain, and eventually their second,
Abel.
These brothers were very different. Able was an animal guy, Cain a
farmer. Both brought offerings to God, but they were not received the
same. The offering Abel presented pleased God. Cain’s did not. We aren’t
told why, but can safely conclude that it was a matter of motive. God
always looks at the heart.
Cain did NOT appreciate God calling him out on his heart situation by
rejecting his offering. “So Cain was very angry, and his face was
downcast.” (Genesis 4:5)
God asked him why he was miffed and followed up with a strong question.
“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” Then God warned
Cain, “If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it
desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7)
Jealousy, hate, bitterness, and anger filled and fueled Cain when he
invited his brother Abel to go hang out in a field and then attacked and
killed him.
God punished Cain for the murder by placing him under a curse. “When
you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will
be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:12)
Cain became a restless wanderer because he refused to heed the
discipline and redirection of God. Instead, of turning his heart to the
Lord in repentance and asking God to teach him the ways that are right,
he allowed the crouching-at-his-door sin to master him. He let feelings
of jealousy and anger lead his responses, and in doing so, brought
destruction and restlessness upon himself and others.
Apologist Ravi Zacha
rias said, “God disciplines us for our good that we
may share in His holiness.” Imagine that! You and I are invited to
share in His holiness. Incredible.
But you and I can become restless wanderers who ignore correcting just
as easily as Cain. Can’t we? Sin crouches at the doors of our hearts
each day too. It looks like comparison and smells like envy. It sneaks
like arrogance and creeps like gossip and promiscuity. Satan longs to
control and master us so that our relationships with both God and man
suffer.
Jesus said that our enemy is a thief that comes to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10) This sobering, slithering reality stirs me to take a fresh stand today.
I resolve that I will not allow the lying tempter to lead me away from
the good God that has for me. I will consider the matter of my motives
by asking God to search my heart and show me any ways that are offensive
(Psalm 139:23-24).
I will stop pretending that God turns a blind eye to any sin in my
life. (That’s not who He is. God is holy and just.) I resolve that
restlessness will not overcome me because I stand in the same power that
resurrected Christ from the grave. I have decided to follow Jesus and
there will be no turning back.
Fair warning: the enemy will still crouch low trying to trip us up, but
the Spirit of God within will help us to master and reject sin. The
challenge is daily and the struggle is real, but the supply of God’s
power is endless. The cure for restlessness is found when we turn from
temptations toward Jesus. And as we call out God in prayer, His grace
will meet us with strength for every trial.
Dear Lord, Please forgive me for the times I allow sin to master me.
Convict my heart of any thoughts, beliefs or actions that are not right
in Your eyes. Root out all stubbornness, jealousy, pride and rebellion
from my heart so that I will no longer be restlessness, but can rest in
Your grace.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.
Amen.
Today's Bible Verse...
But when they [the disciples] saw
him [Jesus] walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried
out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke
to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." —Mark 6:49-50
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
In
the middle of our storms and terror, Jesus passes close by, just waiting
for us to acknowledge our fear and need, so that he can join us in our
worst nightmares and help us through. Incredibly, Jesus' words here are
literally, "Take courage! I Am." God revealed himself to Moses in Exodus
3 as I Am, reminding Moses that he heard the cry of the Israelites and
had seen their hardship and was now coming down to help them. Jesus does
the same for us!
My Prayer...
Thank you, O God, for not only being there, but being close
by — always waiting to respond to my cry of distress and fear. Forgive
me for not inviting you and the Lord Jesus daily into a more active role
in my life. I know you are near, so I ask that you not only make your
presence known, but that you will gently confront me when I push you to
the periphery of my daily life. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
Today's Verse Illustrated
Hearing and Practicing Patience
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