# 50 Decorative Waxed Fruit

The Book of Genesis Day 50 Ge 4:6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Some more God questions! I love them! God, of course knows the answer, but He wants Cain to ponder the answer. He wants you and I to ponder these questions at those times when we are angry at God and taken over by a sullen disposition. With these questions, God is offering Cain an opportunity to repent! Let’s see how this can play out with a positive result! “God: “Why are you angry and sullen?” Cain: “Because You accepted Abel’s offering and not mine?” God: “Why do you think I accepted his and not yours?” Cain: “ Well, I haven’t been living very righteously, and my heart isn’t right with You. To be honest, I’ve been playing the hypocrite.” God: “If you have true sorrow for your condition, and wish to be forgiven, and be accepted by Me, just confess your sin, turn to me, and I will forgive you.” With these questions, God is leading Cain to a crossroad; sadly, we know which path he chose. I like to think of Cain’s offering as a bowl of decorative waxed fruit that graces many a table. It looks so nice on the outside, but of course it’s fake! Cain’s offering was feigned worship, feigned surrender to the Lordship of God. He was giving lip service to the Ruler of the universe. If Cain would just turn from His wicked ways and turn to God, that waxed fruit he was offering up would become the real thing and a sweet fragrance to God! Some of you may be experiencing the same thing. You want to be accepted by God, but you are not willing to pay the price of repentance. You are not willing to turn from your ways and surrender to God. You know deep down that your present lifestyle is not the way God intended you to live. You are hurting yourself and others! You have tried to change in your own strength and things have gotten worse rather than better. Listen! You cannot change in your own strength! Your only hope is to turn to the one who has defeated all the enemies of God……Jesus Christ. God challenged Cain to “do well and be accepted,” He challenges you and I to do the same! Jesus said in Jn 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father (is accepted) except through Me!” To do well, is to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and to surrender to Jesus is to be accepted! Reflect: When is the last time you were angry? Have you had embarrassing moments due to outbursts of anger? How helpful would it be to consider these questions from God when your anger boils over? We often use anger to cover up our inability to do well. It is a diversionary tactic that we use to get the focus off of our shortcomings. What are some ways we can learn to control our anger? Pray: Father, All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, (we all have failed to do well.) Grant us true repentance and faith in Jesus that we may learn to rely on His well-doing, rather than our own.