At first sight Cain and Abel seem to... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous.
Hebrews 11:4.

At first sight Cain and Abel seem to have done the same thing. Both brought God a sacrifice. Cain brought the fruit of the land, the result of his own work. Abel sacrificed an animal from his flock. God accepted Abel's sacrifice, but not Cain's. Abel acted in faith. He was clearly following the example that God Himself had given: God had clothed his parents with skins of an animal that had died in their stead to account for their guilt before God (cf. Genesis 3:21). Cain, on the other hand, approached God as he thought fit and was not accepted.

Luke reports that two men, a Pharisee and a tax collector, went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray there. The Pharisee described the decent life he led in righteousness and piety verbosely and complacently. The tax collector simply said, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). The Pharisee's prayer was worthless to God. By contrast, God accepted the tax collector's prayer and forgave his sins.

Two criminals were crucified together with the Lord Jesus. Both knew that they had only a few hours to live. One of them derided the Son of God, the other recognised Him as the Lord and entrusted his future to Him. One was lost for eternity, the other eternally saved.

There are, ultimately, even today only two groups of people. To all appearances they have a lot in common, but at death their ways part. Whoever has accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord can look forward to an eternity of joy in heaven; all the others will be in hell, for ever excluded from God's presence. The decision where we are to spend eternity we must make while we are alive.

Today's reading: Lamentations 4:7-22 · Psalms 45:11-17