6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7 CSB)
Sin is crouching at the door.
That should be a chilling statement, however, we often overlook this reality and this is why sin rules us and not we it.
In our passage Cain had just killed his brother Able. God had was not as pleased with his offering and so Cain gave in to his anger. Sin was crouching at the door and Cain walked willingly through it.
But our scripture also gives a clear prescription for God’s favor. Do what is right.
So why is doing what is right so difficult?
Paul said “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” What a simple statement for the fallen state we live in.
You may say, “I have never killed, I do not hate”, but our basal human minds are quick to anger and quick to judgement. We hate and kill in so many subtle ways that we truly do not even understand.
The opportunity for good or ill lies ever before us. Our enemy wants nothing more than to open the door wide to the possibility of sin. It is only through a continual state of prayer and an ever-vigil watch over our thoughts that our actions will remain right.
