“What a storm.” Randy said as he
looked over the church lawn. One of the big trees had been blown
down by the parking lot, there were branches every where you looked
and even some of the shingles were strewn about the lawn. “We'll
never get this cleaned up in time for Sunday.” Randy said shaking
his head. “At least not without help.”
As Randy started picking up branches
and dragging them to the fire pit, he heard a load commotion coming
from somewhere inside the church. Forgetting where he was going,
Randy walked towards the building so he could hear what was going on.
“HAROLD!! HAROLD!!” he heard someone yelling, “WHERE ARE YOU
HAROLD!!” It was Martha Peterson.
Not wanting to get involved Randy
turned to go back to cleaning up the yard but he didn't get very far.
“HAROLD, ARE YOU OUT THERE?” Martha yelled out the door and then
headed towards Randy. “I'm not Harold” Randy called back. “I
know that.” Martha snorted, “But have you seen him?” “No. I
haven’t.” Randy told her, “But I sure could use his help. Look
at this mess.”
“I'm sure I saw him come this way!”
Martha snapped. “Did you need him for something?” Randy asked as
he grabbed at a pile of branches. “I sure did.” Martha stated.
“Well, I would ask if I could help.” Randy said, “But I'm very
busy.” “That's alright.” Martha growled, “It's Harold I want
to kill, not you.”
“WHAT???!!!” Randy exclaimed when
he heard that, “You don’t mean that do you?” “Let’s just
hope the Police find him before I do.” Martha growled, “He tied
to burn down our garage.” “Now, calm down, Martha.” Randy told
her, “When did he try to do it?” “Last night during the big
thunderstorm.” Martha said, “And if it hadn’t been raining we
wouldn’t have a house now.”
“No wonder your upset.” Randy
said, “What was he doing playing with matches?” “Who knows.”
Martha said, “All I know is he came running down the stairs
screaming fire.” “I didn't know your garage has stairs?” Randy
interrupted. “It doesn't.” Martha told him, “He was in the
house. “Huh?” Randy said with a puzzled look on his face. “If
Harold was in the house how could he have set your garage on fire?”
After thinking about that for a
moment, Martha finally said “I don’t know. But if it happened it
must have been Harold. And now I can't find him.” “Didn’t you
say it happened during a big Thunderstorm?” Randy asked, “And did
it ever occur to you that maybe lightning set your garage on fire?”
After thinking about it some more,
Martha said “Now that you mention it there was a bright flash and
loud thunder just before he hollered fire. And there was a big hole
in the roof like it had been struck by lightning.” “And you
wanted to kill Harold for that?” Randy asked. “Well,” Martha
said calmly, I guess he can live for now. I better get going
though, I'm afraid if I stay any longer you'll put me to work. See
you Sunday.”
So when the woman saw that the tree
was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that
the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit
and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and
he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they
were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves
loincloths. - Genesis 3:6-7 (ESV)
Adam and Eve had just committed the
first sin – one result of that sin was the expulsion from their
home, the Garden of Eden. On their own they started having children,
the first two being Cain and Able. As time elapsed and the boys grew
up, Cain became a gardener and Able became a shepherd and …. In
the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit
of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock
and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his
offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was
very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are
you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not
be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.
Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Cain spoke
to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up
against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain,
"Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know;
am I my brother's keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have
you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the
ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its
mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work
the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall
be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."
Genesis 4:3-12 (ESV)
Both Cain and Able brought offerings
to God. Abel's was accepted while Cains was rejected. Anger filled
Cain and Able was killed. Cain was caught by God and punished to be
a wanderer and the ground was cursed as well.
Somebody once asked if any of the
commandments applied to family. The answer was found in the 6th
commandment - Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder. (ESV) Have
you ever felt like killing a family member?
Mark 7:21 tells us that murder
originates in the heart - For from within, out of the heart of
man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
(ESV)
1 John 3:15 takes things a bit farther
and says Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you
know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (ESV)
Revelation 21:8 adds even more to the
last part of 1 John 3:15 in that it says But as for the cowardly,
the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be
in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second
death." (ESV)
In Romans 13:9 Paul gives us an easy
way to keep the 6th commandment and any others he said The
commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not
murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other
commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." (ESV)
Here's Something To Ponder
- If hating a brother makes you a murderer, are you a murderer?
- Do you value life the way God values life?
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