Thoughts on acceptable sacrifices <3
We are having a gray but warm day here in the Midwest, and we are not complaining. It feels more and more like spring. I know we are never out of the snowy woods until at least the first week of April, but we can begin to let the transition from the cocooning of winter to more active days to start working in the mind, body, soul and heart as February winds to a close this week.
I have a bit of a longer devotional thought for our Journey through Lent for tomorrow, but it is still in process and I need to get this post up and do some house cleaning before I head to exercise.
So for today, I wanted to share an insight gleaned from The One Year Chronological Study Bible. This is the tool I am using for my annual read through of the Bible and you can find a link to it at the end of the post if you want to check it out.
Today the portions I was reading from Leviticus were about the sacrifices and in the introduction I read this piece of information that put a new perspective on the old familiar story of Cain and Abel.
“Abel’s sacrifice seems to acknowledge personal guilt and the need for redemption while Cain’s offering represents only the sweat of his toil.”
The One Year Chronological Study Bible NLT, Tyndale House Publishers, 2022 pg. 177
The “backup” for this analysis is a later reference to these brothers in the New Testament:
It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of his faith.
Hebrews 11:4 NLT
I have heard the teaching that Abel’s sacrifice, with the shedding of blood, showed an understanding and acknowledgment of God’s first sacrifice of animals to cover the shame of Adam and Eve.
But this wording today gave me an even broader understanding of the difference between truly acknowledging my need for forgiveness and redemption, verses me trying to earn it with my hard work and good deeds. Abel knew that his sin cost something precious. Cain offered some of what he had worked for that should be gifted to God anyway. Interesting and it makes me pause to think how I have done similarly in my times of coming before Him.
This is another reason why I encourage an annual read through and using different Bibles with other commentary and notes added. Each year I am shaking my head with new understanding of old familiar passages.
I hope you are taking in Scripture each day in some way and allowing it to change and transform your mind and heart.
I do want to confess that I have been struggling this week forming prayers that aren’t just rambling. One way that has helped me reign in my wandering mind is to just read portions of Scripture and rewrite them in to prayers.
This is not cheating. Honest.
Have a blessed day <3
Here is one place you can get that study bible. It is also available on Amazon. I do not have any affiliate arrangement with this link.