Loving God reveal Your peace and love to the needs of this dear reader. In Christ Jesus' Name, amen.
Two boys, raised side by side, instructed the same, by the same teachers, mom and dad, on the important things of life. The reverence, love, and worship of God being central to the teaching. Central to that teaching may have been how God never holds back when it comes to us, much like these parents never held anything back, and the first and the finest shared with them: Time, affection, listening, embracing, explaining, etc. The boys heard.
The day came that they were finally on their own. As often happens in families, two sons or two daughters, two different personalities and two different careers and vocations. The oldest loved the earth and working with it. The youngest loved animals and working with them. Both loved their jobs. The time came when they were to worship God as they had been instructed and as an offering, each took from what they did and what they earned. The oldest took from what was left over from that abundant crop that God had blessed him with. The youngest took the first and the fattest, and offered it to the Lord God.
In case you haven't guessed who these boys are, one is Cain, the other is Abel. And their story has been shared above. Raise in the same way, by the same Mom and Dad, yet they had different hearts when it came to God. The Bible says that God had "regard" for Abel's offering, for God saw the love, trust and freedom that he felt toward God. The older Cain just gave an offering, the implication being that he felt nothing but obligation-no love or trust or freedom. It was as if he said, "Here ya go, God, fetch!" How often haven't we said the same thing when it came to our time with God in worship or in prayer or in serving or in giving? How easy it is for us to forget that God is a Holy God and it is God who determines all things for us, yet we treat Him not as a member of the family, but as an intruder or uninvited guest. The results in our lives will reflecf either the joy or the absence of joy based on our love, trust and freedom in our relationship (or lack thereof) with God.
PRAYER: Holy God, remind me today and all days that You are holy. Forgive me those times I have treated You and Your presence in my life as being unimportant or an intrusion. Grant me the courage and boldness to serve and seek You like I should. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
