“The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain…he had not.” Genesis 4:4-5
CAIN CULTIVATED the ground, planted the seed, gathered the harvest, and offered God the fruits of his labors. He thought God would be impressed, and that He would feel obligated to bless him. But that’s not how it works! Abel, on the other hand, told God, “I did nothing. You created the lamb I’m offering. I’m just giving You back what’s Yours, and asking You to bless it.” And God did! You can tell a lot about somebody by how they approach God. Some of us act like God owes us something. Others among us are so impressed with our spiritual status and accomplishments that we feel the need to approach Him with lofty phraseology and high-sounding “thee’s” and “thou’s.” But God isn’t impressed, so let’s get real! “The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” That’s because unlike his brother, Abel wasn’t seeking credit for anything. He wanted God to have all the glory. That’s the kind of offering that moves God’s heart and invites His richest blessing upon our lives.
So what are you offering God today? Your achievements? Your denominational credentials? Your self-reliance? Your shallow emotion? If you are, don’t bother! The only thing He asks is that you humbly open your heart and let Him recreate you in the likeness of Jesus. When you do that, something wonderful happens. By downplaying your own self-interests and giving God an acceptable offering, not only will He receive and respect it, He will bless you and equip you to bless others too. That’s how it works!
Bible In A Year: Isa 63-66, Luke 4:14-30, Ps 89:15-37, Pro 2:21-22
