Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Monday, August 17 2015
Today’s Scripture:
“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” (Genesis 4:4).
Question for Deep Consideration:
What do you offer the God who has everything? After all, the entire universe is His.
Today’s Observation:
Of the many people who had a heart for God in Scripture, Abel is among the most intriguing.
This son of Adam and Eve was not doubt very strong, handsome, and brilliant. He was from the second generation of inhabitants of earth. This means that the image of God that was imprinted upon his parents was more intact than it is with us today after thousands of years of sin and degradation. If there were a person who could easily have been tempted with pride, it could have been Abel. Yet, the Bible says that he gave an excellent sacrifice, which the Lord respected.
As you may be aware, Adam and Eve were created as perfect, sinless beings. Through a twisted battery of events, they both chose to stray from a plain thus saith the Lord. They chose, albeit for different reasons, to eat from the tree God expressly forbade. Although the Lord showed mercy toward them, one of the consequences of their disobedience was the fact that they passed sinful tendencies to their offspring through genetics. Each of us, who now live fight an uphill struggle, because of this predisposition to sin. However, the Lord was gracious enough to give us the antidote: Jesus, the Son of God would come in human flesh, live in full submission to His Father, die the second death in our place, rise again with the gift of victory under His control for all who would live by faith in Him. Abel demonstrated a forward thinking faith in this blessing. The Lord inspired him to sacrifice an offering that represented the spotless Son of God who was to come, and he was delighted to obey. It was a small, yet significant gesture that so many, including one of his own brothers, would be too proud to give. This move of faith, given from the heart would be accounted to all in that era as righteousness.
What do you give the God who owns and has everything?
You give Him you.
Life Application:
We do not live at a time when animal sacrifices are still in play; however, the faith they represented is still very much alive and well. We have the privilege to have seen the full story of the Lord who was so kind and merciful to die for our sins. The question is: Will we follow in the footsteps of righteous Abel and refuse to believe that the simple, significant gesture of faith in Jesus’ righteousness is beneath us to give? What do you give the God who owns and has everything? You give Him you – all of you by faith in Christ, and He will have respect toward that sacrifice, and welcome you into His eternal kingdom. Give God your entire heart today and let Him know His sacrifice for you was worth it.
A Prayer for Your Hearts:
Lord, help us to have simple faith in you to the exclusion of pride and self-sufficiency. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
