March 20, 2021
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. Genesis 4:7
The above verse refers to Cain sulking over God’s preference to Abel’s offering. Able had presented the firstborn of his flock (his very best). Cain, who had not given his best, fostered feelings of jealously and anger toward his brother. So God exhorted Cain to master sin before it could lead him down the path to self-destruction. Unfortunately, Cain submitted to sin and killed Able—the consequences of which would linger for a lifetime.
In his first letter to the church, Peter presents a similar warning in reference to our adversary, the devil, who is crouching like a lion (1 Peter 5:8). Peter writes that we must resist the tempter and stand firm in our faith. For sin has designs on us that are contrary to our very identity as image-bearers of God. And it is sin’s aim to rule over us. The problem is that we alone do not have the willpower to rule over sin. The Good News is that Christ did, and now he resides in us. And his Holy Spirit (who also is in us) is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). That’s our only hope to rule over sin.
Father God, help us to fix our eyes on your Son when sin crouches at our door and growls for our attention. And help us to cooperate with your Holy Spirit and shut the door on sin before it encroaches the threshold of our minds and hearts. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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