2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 9

When an alcoholic awakes, the first thing he thinks about is his next drink. At the same time, for those alcoholics I know, he understands he doesn’t want to be an alcoholic. He doesn’t want to drink, but most days, the temptation is greater than he can bear. Every day is the same battle, and we are all fighting it at some level.

We awake, and the first thing we think about is sin. We don’t want to sin, but the thoughts consume us especially during Great Lent. I believe we are all addicted to sin. We don’t want to sin, but we do. The temptation is often greater than we can bear.

The danger of sin isn’t that we can’t avoid it per se. The danger is when we plan it out. The temptation enters our heart, and we are immediately consumed with the idea of sin. The more we scheme, the more danger we encounter. If we don’t stop fixating on the sin, we will eventually commit the sin. The sooner we step back, the sooner we can return to the safety of God’s protection.

Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.  Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”  And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.  And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.  When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”  Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.  Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me.”  Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him.

Genesis 4.8-15

Cain was consumed with anger toward his brother even though his brother did nothing wrong. Yesterday we heard God warn Cain about sin crouching at his door. Today, sin pounced, and Abel is dead. His blood was crying to God from the ground. When Cain heard the consequence of his choice to murder his brother, he was beyond himself. Still God was looking after him.

Even in our sin, God is looking out for us. Remember! We are reading each day from the perspective of salvation rather than condemnation. Although Cain turned his back on God, God still was protecting him from the actions of others. “Not so! If anyone slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” Does this sound like a God who doesn’t care about His children?

Allowing for consequences doesn’t mean God doesn’t love us. Quite the contrary. His love is expressed in allowing us to learn from our mistakes. Cain would have to learn the pain of murdering his brother. The ground would not yield as bountifully as it had in the past. This was painful, but not without possibilities.

When we sin, sometimes we think God will not longer look at us. Cain said, “From thy face I shall be hidden,” but God never said that. It was Cain who believed God would no longer be there for him. Cain was wrong, and so are we.

Today, please consider the love God has for you even when you sin. I don’t say ‘if’ you sin, since we all sin. That is the point today. We now live in a world of sin, and STILL God is looking out for us. He watched over Cain, and He will watch over us.

Don’t take that as a free ticket to sin. It is anything but that. In fact, it should give us pause to gain our strength and back away from temptation faster the next time. We are addicted to sin just as an alcoholic is addicted to drinking. Some days he goes longer between drinks. Some days we will go longer between sins. Either way, God is still there like He was for Cain.