v. 11 – Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain…

Devotional:

Cain really made a mess of things. What was in his heart made itself clear when he killed his brother. And years later, a very serious indictment against a Jew in the 1st century would’ve been to be accused of walking in the way of Cain. Envy and anger seeped from Cain’s pores as he looked upon God’s acceptance of his brother’s gift and the simultaneous rejection of his gift.

“Abel, on his part also brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering, but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard so Cain was very angry, and his face fell.” – Genesis 4:4-5

Firstborns, first fruits, and firstlings are common uses of “first” phrasings throughout all of scripture, and there is certainly a good reason for it. What Cain failed to grasp is that in Abel’s heart God is first and He can’t and won’t be second. He is first in placement as well as in priority which means we don’t “put” God first in our lives but that He is first in all things so we must order our lives around His firstness. If we don’t do this, our lives will be out of order. Our families, finances, schedules, efforts, and energies are in line with God’s peace-filled kingdom wherever and whenever He is first.

The New Testament expression of this firstness is fully revealed in and through Jesus Christ as Paul writes to the church in Colosse: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:15-20).

Paul’s statement that Jesus is preeminent is a way of saying He is first. He is “before all things” as Paul states it. Jesus is heaven’s first and best. He is the first fruits, first born, only begotten of God, and He was given for us as a sacrifice for our sin so we might be pleasing unto God. Accordingly, we should love Him with our first and best. God doesn’t accept leftovers or second place in our lives; He demands and deserves to be first.

The invitation of grace we receive by way of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is to surrender all the parts of our lives under the firstness of God and to orient ourselves around His promises and provisions. In doing so, we get to walk in His blessings.

On the contrary, to walk in the way of Cain is to treat God as a second-rate citizen in the home of our hearts. Let us walk in the way of Jesus, choosing to see and accept God as first in all things as we joyfully align ourselves with the abundance of His Word.

REFLECTION:

In what areas of your life do you need to re-align under God as first? What needs to change to make that happen?