God Wants Your Heart

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering–fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:3-7

Does God look on our offerings to Him with favor? In Cain and Abel, God looked on Abel’s with favor, but Cain’s without favor. We see a key in the description of their sacrifices. Cain brought some fruit of the soil. In contrast Abel brought fat offerings from some of the firstborn of his flock. Abel’s offerings were from the first fruits of God’s provision, whereas Cain’s offering were just some of the fruit. Their heart for God is evident in their offering, and your heart is what God wants, not the offering.
God sees Cain’s reaction to the event. Again, God sees Cain’s heart and where it is headed if he does not do what is right. God knows the destructive nature of sin, but also that it can be overcome. For us, this is the more powerful lesson today. If you sin, don’t allow it to fester in you. It will eat you up. Instead, handle it the right way, meaning repent of your sin, turn completely from it, don’t do it anymore. Then confess your sin to God. He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.