An Acceptable Offering

An Acceptable Offering

Hebrews 11:4 (ESV) ⁴  By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

Several years ago I got my wife a new cell phone for Christmas. She didn't especially like it. I thought that it was the best gift I could get her. I know I liked her new cell phone. However, she was unhappy with the gift. 

You might assume that my wife should have accepted the gift because that's just what you do when you get a Christmas present. You might assume that I didn't know any better than to give her a new cell phone. You might assume that she was in the wrong and I was in the right if you had to make a decision based on what you know right now. You would assume wrong.

My wife told me that she wanted a small camera (This was before cell phones took pictures.) for Christmas. She even told me what type of camera she wanted. I thought she needed a new cell phone more than she needed a camera. I had not gotten her what she asked for.

We know that God is just. We know that He indicates clearly what is acceptable. Thus, we know that Abel listened to the Lord as he prepared an offering for God. Maybe Cain thought that he would exceed what God asked for. Maybe he decided to give God something that costs him more than what God asked for. It didn't matter. It wasn't what God asked for.

Like my wife, God refused to regard the gift as acceptable. It wasn't what He asked for. It wasn't a sin offering. It was a fellowship offering. There is no fellowship without removing the barrier of sin. Cain's heart revealed his lack of fellowship with God when he kills his brother. Sin was crouching at Cain's door seeking an opportunity to capture him.

That year, my wife got two Christmas gifts. She got a cell phone that she didn't want and the camera that she did. I had a choice of having fellowship with her or disappointing her. I chose to have fellowship. Cain chose to further disappoint God. He killed his brother and tried to cover it up. That never works with God.

God may be telling you to give Him something that you don't want to give. Maybe you need to swallow your pride a forgive someone. Maybe God is asking for your heart rather than your money. You can reason out why you gave God something other than what He asked for. Cain chose to blame his brother for his own failure. Stubbornness often tries to blame someone else.

The acceptable gift is the one God seeks. The ball is in your court.