Welcome back to Wednesday! This week is a “skeleton week” when it comes to blog posts. Every once in a while, a blogger needs a break, but I can’t skip a Wednesday! 🙂
Genesis 4:9 (GWT)–The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
Well, the answer to that would be… yes. The first thing I thought when I read this was not about murder. It was, “Yes, we are supposed to take care of our brothers (sisters).”
I struggle with asking for help. Don’t we all sometimes? We want to be the caretakers and the helpers and the ones lifting others up. But God didn’t mean for all of us to be strong all of the time. Sometimes, we have to bow our heads and say, “I need help.” To not do so is to cause us harm. Shoot, let’s just say it… To not ask for help is downright prideful. It’s saying, “I can do this on my own.” Well, sometimes you can’t, and that’s why God created fellowship and prayer. That’s why so many other verses in the Bible tell us to pray for one another. We’re not meant to go it on our own. We’re meant to ask for help.
God is amazing like that. He makes sure to place people into our lives who are there exactly when they need us to be. I’ve experienced that many times over. It took me a long time to learn to ask for help though. But I’m glad He taught me.
-JB
I love the second part of verse 7 – But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.
I just love this verse. It is a reminder that sin is there always, and it wants to grab hold of me, but I don’t have to give in. Not only do we have to not give in, but God is telling us we must master it. If he is telling us that this is something we must do, then I take that to mean we are totally able to (with God’s help). Those temptations and sinful things in our life don’t have to take hold of us. God knows they are there, and he knows Satan is going to be there looking for opportunities to trip us up, but we don’t have to fail!
The older I get the easier it is for me to ask for help. Maybe it’s because as I grow in the Lord, He does exactly what you said–puts people around me to help. His faithfulness is amazing. Love you, lady! Have a great weekend!
Hey…I’m doing my FIRST vlog today! Bwahahahahaha!
Finally! I have time to respond with all the thoughts on the scriptures I’ve not had time to comment on! Starting with this chapter:
I loved every verse in this chapter because it tells such a powerful story. Abel was the godly son who offered his very best to God. Cain was the godless son, who offered an unacceptable offering and killed his brother in anger. Seth was the granted son — the son God gave Adam & Eve to take the place of Abel.
I do have a question though for all of you. This popped in my mind when I was reading the chapter and came to verse 15. When God marks Cain and says that He will punsih anyone who tries to hurt Cain, do you think this could possibly have any implication to God speaking against capital punishment? Just wondering.
Sandy
I would say it does, but the rest of the Old Testament doesn’t speak to that, since He Himself created an Old Testament law that called for it. I think it MIGHT be more about judgment being His and not ours. My two cents, which could be right or wrong.