Genesis 4: 7-15

Genesis Chapter 4 7-15

7

² If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master."

8

Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9

Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

10

The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!

11

Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12

If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth."

13

Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear.

14

Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight."

15

³ Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.

Reflection: God finishes his warning to Cain. Through the story telling me to not let my sins take hold. Don't let them fester. "If you do well, you can hold up your head." I don't hear that the outcome must be perfect but that the effort must be there. I hope that I never respond to God with that sarcasm seen in Cain response. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Wow really. When my children talk to me with a tone like that I get so angry and yet God still showed mercy. Even with his great sin of killing his brother in jealousy our Lord puts a mark on his head to protect him. We see sin enter the world and lead to death. We don't know the time frame but still just that second generation. The world continues to receive his mercy no matter what. Dear Heavenly Father please hep me to do my best no matter the outcome, do all that I do for you, and to love no matter what wrong is committed to myself or my loved ones. I am such a hot head, please help me to always temper my anger and not to let it become a demon lurking at the door.