We all know the story of Cain and Abel because it is the story of mankind’s first homicide. But before that event occured, we read this about the two men in Genesis 4:2-7. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 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.”

The issue between the two men seems to have been that Abel brought the very best of his flock as an offering to God while Cain brought second best. Cain was angry that God looked with greater favor on the gifts of Abel and he breathed murder in his heart. He was very angry and depressed.

God confronts Cain and says “If you do what is right will you not be accepted?” And then He says something we all need to hear. “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.”

Sin is like a lion that crouches at our door and desires to devour us. That is not surprising as Satan’s strategy is always to derail our relationship with God through convincing us that sin is better than obedience. It is what he did with Eve in the Garden and it is what he does with us on a regular basis. Remember that Satan cannot destroy God but He can seek to derail God’s children. Sin and Satan desire to have us and hurt us but God said to Cain, “You must master it.” Advice that Cain unfortunately did not take. He allowed sin to master him instead and it resulted in Abel’s death.

We need to recognize that we have an enemy of our souls in Satan and he will do all that he can to see us end up in the ditch of life. As Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief, that is Satan, comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” He is a malevolent and evil creature that wants to destroy us in every way. By contrast, Jesus says in that same verse, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

How do we master this thing called sin that couches at our door and desires to have us? We do so by cultivating obedience to Jesus, knowing that He came that we would have life rather than destruction. Loving Him, living in His power, and being aware of Satan’s schemes help us to say no to sin and yes to the Good Shepherd. 

Father, the pull toward sin is strong. Would you help me master that pull though my love for you and the power that you offer through your Holy Spirit who actually lives within me? Make me aware of your power and of my tendency to be pulled toward sin. Amen.