The Acceptable Gift

01.02.12

Genesis 3.4-5 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. NASB

Apparently the people of that time could see what happened to their sacrifices: “And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering…” Something must’ve happened for Abel to be able to know his offering was regarded (respected, honored, favored) by the Lord. Possibly, fire came down from Heaven as in the days of Elijah and Ahab and the prophets of Baal. Possibly the offering was burnt and the aroma of the burnt offering was pleasing to smell. Whatever it was, it was clear that God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice. And He wasn’t with Cain’s.

The other thing just might be that Cain knew what was acceptable and just decided to do something different. Maybe it was the custom of those days for men to approve or disapprove the offerings like the priests did with Moses. Maybe the ‘priests’ of the day disregarded Cain’s gift and that was the catalyst for Cain’s revenge. Maybe it was such a big deal to offer the right thing, and when Cain showed up with bell-peppers, tomatoes and carrots everyone was horrifies that it was the wrong thing. Whatever the case, it was crystal clear to Cain that what he brought was substandard and unacceptable. Maybe this was as simple a test as to not eat fruit from a certain tree and Cain failed the test. It must’ve been something really big to motivate him to kill Abel to assuage his guilt and shame...

What kinds of offerings are acceptable to the Lord? What kinds of gifts does God accept from men? First and foremost are those that are given from the heart. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 8). The heart has to be involved with the gift and God knows the heart. God doesn’t seem to care as much about the kind of the gift as as He does about the attitude of the giver. Gifts given in pride or under compulsion are really not gifts freely given. Guilt gifts are bad too. (That’s one reason why this gift-giving thing at Christmastime is often so lame…)

And second, acceptable gifts are those that are given that cost something, and there ain’t nothing more costly than a life. Paul said we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the Lord because it is our spiritual act of worship (Romans 12.1). Giving our lives to God for His use will cost us something and once we give it we cannot take it back. Gifts to God are His once they are given.

And third, acceptable gifts given to God must be an act of worship. The gift must be given with a pure heart, cost us something, and be done in worship. Worship isn’t just singing songs. Worship isn’t just showing up in church. Worship is the act of reverencing, adoring, and bowing before God in dependency. Worship proclaims His Name as Holy. Worship proclaims His being as worthy. Worship is our feeble and humble attempt at trying to honor God for who He is and what He’s done. It is of the heart. Anything less than that is Cain-ic. Anything else is just going through the motions and maybe that’s what Cain did: he just went through the motions.

I must be careful and considerate, worshipful and humble so that my gifts don’t do the same…