Good day dear friends.
Here is our study guide for today:
Read Genesis 3. (The passage will appear at the bottom of this message if you do not have a Bible handy) In this chapter Adam and Eve become parents. The Bible says nothing about their childrearing skills other than what results the children had as you read into the chapter. Do you suppose the two tried to raise the two identically, with showing no favoritism? Why do you suppose some children “get it” and others don’t?
Okay friends, here's my mistake for the day, the passage I meant for you to read is from Genesis 4, not 3, but it never hurts to read more than you want in God's Holy Word. In this story of the first children, Adam and Eve are good parents. I believe they tried their hardest to raise both of the boys in the same way. As I said in yesterday's sermon, you try to raise all your children alike but sometimes you realize not two children are alike, nor can you force them to be. Every child is born with his/her own drives, wants, curiosities, etc., and most will act on those.
What Eve and Adam knew about God, they taught to their sons. We don't know if it was mom or dad that shared with them about giving to the Lord. In my case it was my mother who taught me when I got my first job at 9 years of age, to tithe. I made a whopping $1.50 for working from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Chapa's Grocery Store in Kingsville. I got paid in cash and I was intructed by Mom to ask for one of the quarters in change. So from that quarter I would set aside fifteen cents as my tithe. Mom would bring a church offering envelope with her to pick me up at six and I would place the fifteen cents, seal it, sign my name to it and the next day I gladly gave it to God. I never thought, "That's not fair! I worked for ALL this money, God didn't do a thing!" I was thankful to have the majority of the money at my disposal. I was sharing with my daughters on Saturday, that a reel-to-reel recorder on display at one of our hamburger joints, was the first purchase I made after saving up fifteen dollars. I would also treat my brother, who owes me a lot of money to this day!, to the movies and all that went with that, all with what was left over from the tithe.
Eve may have been the one to say to her sons, "Take the first and the best to God when you offer up your sacrifices." Abel did just that and Cain took what didn't inconvenience him, namely leftovers. The Bible says that God had "regard for Abel and his offering," for Abel tried to please God in his giving. He thought nothing about what he would have left if he gave God the first and the best.
This stirred up anger and causes the first murder in the Bible. What a tragic note to see that fratricide is the first murder; a brother killing a brother. Not a good note on which to start the symphony of life, but it shows the need for all of us to be guided by God in all things.
As we raise children and grandchildren, we should be guided by God in prayer. It is not an easy task to raise children. It not only takes a village, it take the universe of God's involvement to help us do our part. The great thing about our baptism is the promise that we as a church make to parents and to those being baptized, to be their community, their family, their love and support as they grow old with us.
As we raise children and grandchildren, we should be guided by God in prayer. It is not an easy task to raise children. It not only takes a village, it take the universe of God's involvement to help us do our part. The great thing about our baptism is the promise that we as a church make to parents and to those being baptized, to be their community, their family, their love and support as they grow old with us.
May we seek to be God's people as we make our way through life each day.
PRAYER: Loving Father, fill us with your love today. Guide us to faithfulness and let us show others the better way to live. May we who are parents be the best we can in saying, doing, and modeling that which glorifies You. We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
Genesis 4:1 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the Lord." 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.
Genesis 4:1 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the Lord." 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.
