What are we 'Abel' to give?

Genesis 4 : 1-7

Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

This Bible passage has always scared me a little bit. That Cain's offering was considered not good enough for God. It makes me wonder whether I really give God as much as He deserves in my life. Don't me wrong, we go to Heaven and are saved and are in relationship with God because of GRACE not WORKS. But I still have a burning desire to please God & worship Him because of what He has done.


I was thinking about this today and I realised something:-


'If we can give God something better, then what we are giving is not good enough'. 


If someone appears to be giving more than to God than you, it may be simply that they have more to give than you do. Think of the widow who gave her only coin compared to the others who gave plenty out of their riches...whose sacrifice did Jesus appreciate more there?


Cain could have given God a better sacrifice, this is why his sacrifice was rejected. As God stated to the Israelites in Amos 5:21-24:-


²¹ “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
   your assemblies are a stench to me.
²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
   I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
   I will have no regard for them.
²³ Away with the noise of your songs!
   I will not listen to the music of your harps.
²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river,
   righteousness like a never-failing stream!


Even though the Israelites were making sacrifices, it meant nothing to me and as V24 suggests..they were neglecting offering God their all in not upholding justice and not living righteous lives. Offering God second best is just as good as offering Him nothing at all.


Let's challenge each other to give God our best! He is Worthy :-)