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 master it.” Genesis 4:6-7
Dear Lord Jesus, I’m always vulnerable to the destructive power of sin, but it seems like I’m especially vulnerable when there’s some kind of emotional upheaval going on inside of me. Like Cain, when I’m angry and sulking about something or someone (Abel), I’m more “tempt-able”—more likely to medicate my discontent with selfishness and disobedience.
I so wish there was no such thing as “pleasure in sin for a season”… (Heb. 11:25). I wish that sin always tasted like lutefisk, canned asparagus or soured yogurt… but that’s just not the case.
Jesus, thank you for pursing me today and asking me questions like, “Why are you angry?”, … “Why are you so sad?”… “What are you afraid of?”… “Why are you so quiet and distant?” Though YOU know the answer to these and every question you ask, I need to ponder what’s going on inside of me. For good stewardship of my emotions is a first step in being wise about my temptations. Show me my heart, Jesus. Help me understand the dis-ease and unrest.
I wish we only had to think about the sin that’s crouching outside our door—the tempter and temptress without. But the truth is, Jesus, until you return to finish making all things new, we’ve got to be wise to the sin that’s crouching inside of us, as well. Like Paul, the very things we don’t want to do, we still do; and the very things we want to do, we don’t find easily or consistently done.
Jesus, I long for more freedom to live and to love as I am loved by you—to offer quicker and deeper repentances, with a softer and gentler heart. How I praise you that right now, there’s NO condemnation hanging over me for my sin, for you hung on the cross in my place. I would despair if this were not the case. You’ve mastered sin for me, Jesus. You’ve exhausted its penalty and broken it’s power. Sin will not have dominion over me ever again.
In this good news… in this gospel, I will trust today. That’s what “doing right” will involve. As I look at myself in the mirror of your Word, I will look at you ten times over, Jesus. That will more than meet my need. So very Amen, I pray, in your strong, present and redeeming name.
