Isaiah 23-25
Philippians 1
“The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favour.” Genesis 4:4-5
In Genesis 4, we read about the first free-will offering given to God. The opening verse of this devotion highlights a contrasting response from God towards the offerings. As we lean into the text, did we notice that it is the person first before the offering: “Abel and his offering” and “Cain and his offering?” What does this tell us? It is not simply the offering that God looks at, but the person behind the offering, the heart behind the gift.
The Hebrew word for “favour” is shâ`âh, which can also mean “to gaze, to look at, to regard, to behold.” In other words, God looked at Abel and his offering with affection and acceptance. What does all this tell us about God? We do not serve a far-off God who is distant, disconnected and disinterested. We worship a God who takes notice and sees us. He sees the quality of our heart before Him and responds to the worship of His people.
Cain, however, was outside of God’s favour and became “very angry, and his face was downcast” (Genesis 4:5). When God did not bestow favour on Cain, Cain’s reaction was a temper tantrum and a pity party. Cain’s offering to God revealed what was in his heart—the thing that God saw right through his offering. Cain did not want to conform his life to God; he wanted God to conform to his life.
God then said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?” (Genesis 4:6-7). Did we notice the kindness and mercy of God? When Cain was displeased, God demonstrated that He is the very first missionary in Scripture; He went to Cain and, in His grace and mercy, asked, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?” Did God ask because He did not know? Of course not. God was asking so that Cain might confess what was going on under the surface of his life. God was offering Cain the gift of confession and inviting him to come into the light of who God is and be open about his displeasure. We could reinterpret God’s question as, “Tell Me, why are you upset? What is in your heart towards Me?”
Despite the kindness and mercy of God, Cain did not come into the light. He just wanted to hold onto his displeasure. In silence, God provided a pathway back to favour, back to fullness: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). God’s offering of mercy to Cain teaches us that even when we blow it, even when we go off course, God will provide a pathway back to reconciliation and relationship with Him.
Lord God, thank You for Your mercy and Your kindness, providing a pathway back to reconciliation and relationship with You. I confess what is in my heart towards You.
Philippians 1
“The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favour.” Genesis 4:4-5
In Genesis 4, we read about the first free-will offering given to God. The opening verse of this devotion highlights a contrasting response from God towards the offerings. As we lean into the text, did we notice that it is the person first before the offering: “Abel and his offering” and “Cain and his offering?” What does this tell us? It is not simply the offering that God looks at, but the person behind the offering, the heart behind the gift.
The Hebrew word for “favour” is shâ`âh, which can also mean “to gaze, to look at, to regard, to behold.” In other words, God looked at Abel and his offering with affection and acceptance. What does all this tell us about God? We do not serve a far-off God who is distant, disconnected and disinterested. We worship a God who takes notice and sees us. He sees the quality of our heart before Him and responds to the worship of His people.
Cain, however, was outside of God’s favour and became “very angry, and his face was downcast” (Genesis 4:5). When God did not bestow favour on Cain, Cain’s reaction was a temper tantrum and a pity party. Cain’s offering to God revealed what was in his heart—the thing that God saw right through his offering. Cain did not want to conform his life to God; he wanted God to conform to his life.
God then said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?” (Genesis 4:6-7). Did we notice the kindness and mercy of God? When Cain was displeased, God demonstrated that He is the very first missionary in Scripture; He went to Cain and, in His grace and mercy, asked, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?” Did God ask because He did not know? Of course not. God was asking so that Cain might confess what was going on under the surface of his life. God was offering Cain the gift of confession and inviting him to come into the light of who God is and be open about his displeasure. We could reinterpret God’s question as, “Tell Me, why are you upset? What is in your heart towards Me?”
Despite the kindness and mercy of God, Cain did not come into the light. He just wanted to hold onto his displeasure. In silence, God provided a pathway back to favour, back to fullness: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). God’s offering of mercy to Cain teaches us that even when we blow it, even when we go off course, God will provide a pathway back to reconciliation and relationship with Him.
Lord God, thank You for Your mercy and Your kindness, providing a pathway back to reconciliation and relationship with You. I confess what is in my heart towards You.
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