Most of us, at some point in our lives, have had to say “I’m sorry.” As parents, we often learn to distinguish the heart of a child who says “I’m sorry” with a heart of remorse and repentance compared to that of the word spoken as an obligatory phrase. The words can be spoken the same, but it is the intent of the heart that most matters behind the words.
The human heart in the sense of what compels our actions, emotions and worship is always struggling with what we say and what we intend. Our words may say that we love and trust God, but does the intent and state of our hearts match the meaning of our words? We often cannot control what occurs to us, but we can control and watch over our hearts so that we keep a focus of trusting and worshiping God.
Our decision to trust in the one true God is not someone else’s decision. It is a personal matter between ourselves and God. In Genesis 3 it is Adam and Eve who must decide in their own hearts if to truly trust God and worship him alone instead of eating from the tree of knowledge. In Genesis 4, it is their children Cain and Abel who must decide in their hearts to trust and worship God. Eve’s and Adam’s faith may have influenced Cain and Abel, but ultimately Cain and Abel had to decide on their own how they would worship God. The serpent as well had been created by God, but the serpent chose his own actions of rebellion.
Even though we often make mistakes, God still gives mercy. As he in mercy commanded Adam and Eve away from the Garden of Eden to protect them from eating of the Tree of Life after their sin, so he also provides mercy for Cain after he chooses to kill his brother Abel. In verse 15, God states that Cain, though he deserves death, is protected from death. We all, like Cain, deserve death for our sin, but God through Jesus Christ marks us with mercy.
R. Faye Richards
