The Offering

I’ve read the Bible since I was a small child. Not sure why. My parents didn’t read it, but my Father did take me to church every Sunday.

Reading the story of Cain and Able, Cain being a farmer, he brought the best vegetables he could grow and as an offering to God. The best his hands could produce! Able, a Sheppard, brought the most perfect lamb he could raise, as an offering to the Lord. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. I always felt sorry for Cain. He did his best! He brought his best! And it wasn’t because Abel was a Sheppard, or because Cain could have done a little better. So what was the problem with Cain’s offering?

Or take for instance the Rich Man in the Gospels that Jesus confronts face to face. Jesus was laying out things to show the young man that he was born apart from God. He really stepped on his toes with this comment. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Now come, follow me.” I always felt so sorry for the rich young ruler! Didn’t he come of his own free volitional will to Jesus for salvation? Why must he sell all he had to follow?

The reason I felt sorry for these two men, was because I thought they represented me! I thought, “If they can’t make it with God, then how can I?” Anyone who thinks they must give account at the end, should read these two stories! Nothing seems to be good enough and you think you have pittance of good that you will offer as your ticket in?

Able wasn’t accepted because he was a Sheppard. Cain wasn’t turned away because he was a farmer. The rich young ruler was not turned away because he was rich. So why? Because God laid out the specifics of the proper offering, the only offering that would please Him. No excuses, no begging, no talents or goodness, or money will ever cut it. Only the shed blood of the Lamb will do!

The rich young ruler, was looking the Lamb in the eyes and he went away sad. He rejected the correct offering, just as Cain had. What offering will you bring?

Blessings


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