Following God on His Terms

In my Genesis studies, I ran across the story of Cain and Abel.  I wanted to share something with you that really hit me when I read this story.  God looks favorably on Abel's offering but not Cain's offering.  In Cain's anger, here is God's response:

Genesis 4:6-7

⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ 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 rule over it.”

God tells Cain how to gain His affection, but Cain will not accept God's counsel.  Cain instead, decided to get rid of the competition:

Genesis 4:8

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”   While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

God obviously finds out of Cain's sin and curses him and tells Cain he must leave God's presence.  This is Cain's response:

Genesis 4:13-14

¹³ Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 

 

In a way I've never read this before I realized a few things this time.  For one, Cain loved God.  Cain's jealousy was for God's attention.  Cain also stated that being driven from God's presence was more than he could bear.  He feared a lack of God's love, protection and favor.  

 

When I think about what Cain did and felt, I realized that at an emotional level, we sometimes do the same thing.  We try to love God on our terms.  We ask God to accept our sin and ask for His favor.  We seek His love yet we defy His will.

 

I must clear one thing up because it could start a theological debate if I don't.  This is not a means to earn grace.  Grace is a free gift to those who accept it.  However, when we choose to be Christians, we are choosing to follow Christ.  We follow after Him first in obedience and also in our love for Him.  Jesus makes it clear:

 

John 8:31

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. "

 

If we do what we want and call ourselves Christian, we are more Christ observers rather than Christ Followers. Of the two approaches, God shows favor to those who truly seek Him.  Hebrews states it nicely:

 

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 

We cannot love God on our terms.  We must choose to learn how to love God as He wants us to love Him.  I believe anyone seeking God's favor should start here.  There is a real lesson we can take from Cain.  My hope is that we all seek to really know and love God as He truly is, on His terms, in His way.