Devotion - The Gift or the Atitude behind the gift

Genesis 4:2-5 - Now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked on the soil, 3 In the course of time Cain brought some fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour upon Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favour. So Cain was angry and his face was down cast.


Many times before I thought that God required a blood offering and that's why he rejected Cain's offering. It was while going through the TAFTEE course that this mater was clarified. In fact cereal offering was much acceptable under the law (Lev 2:1). What was it then that was offending on the art of Cain.


The first indication is in verse 4b. The Lord looked with favour upon Abel and his offering. It is the person that God looks first an then the offering. God cares most is the attitude of the one bringing the offering. If the attitude is right , the gift will also be right. Man sees the outward appearance but God sees the heart. Remember the woman who brought two mites to the temple as a offering. Jesus said she gave more than the rest. It was her heart's attitude that determined the gift she presented. If I am giving my best to the Lord, it does not matter the size of the gift.

The second indication is in verse 4a. Abel was careful to give his best and the first to the Lord and brought the firstborn of the flock. Cain on the the hand brought some fruits of the soil. To Cain any offering will do, it need not be the best. By this Abel showed that he had reverence and godly fear for the Almighty. Cain on the other had displayed a lackadaisical attitude. We need to ask our selves, when we give to God is it the best. A deep question. Is my offering a pleasure to the Almighty God.

Third, Cain's response showed that his attitude was bad and his heart a distant from God's perspective. Verse5 says that Cain was angry and his face was downcast. This explains why in the first place God did not regard Cain. His heart was not in line with God's.

There are two New Testament verses that refer to Cain and Abel:

a. Heb 4:11 - Highlights Abel's faith in offering his gift. Heb 11:6 - Without faith it is impossible to please God. Cain's offering did not come with the right attitude and with the necessary faith.

b. 1 John 3:12 - Abel's deeds were righteous. Cain's deeds became evil, a consequence of a bad attitude towards God.

Let's watch our attitude and give our best to the Lord . Lets follow the example that our Lord set in Eph 5: 2 - And walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell (ASV).


"All that I am,
All that I have
I lay them down,
before you my Lord.."

Taken from Hillsong...LOrd I offer my life to you

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