Desire for Control

"When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.'... Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden" -Genesis 4.12, 16

God rejects Cain's offering and warns him to master sin. Something happens and Cain ends up killing his brother Abel. Abel's blood cries out to God (interesting thoughts here, maybe another time). God punishes Cain. Cain disobeys. Genesis 4.

After the offerings Cain and Abel are in the field, and Abel is killed, we don't have any details besides these. God asks him where he is and Cain says he doesn't know. And then God hands out punishment. The ground will not produce a harvest for Cain any more, he is to be a wanderer on the earth. He isn't to settle in one place, but to keep moving, a Nomad. Maybe this command was for him to become a keeper of flocks, like Abel had been, and the constant reminder of his brother and his actions are too great for him to bear. But whatever it is, God's command is for Cain to keep moving, to live on the road. Cain is afraid for his life. Living exposed in the world with no house or walls to protect him would be scary. But God promises His protection.

We see here an opportunity to live in complete trust of God. With this command his very existence is dependent upon God. But we see a trait common to so many men, the desire for control and comfort. Instead of wandering in the promise and protection of God, Cain departs from the presence of God and settles in Nod. Then on top of this, he builds a city. Restless wanderers don't settle, and since they don't settle, they don't build cities. But this is exactly what we see Cain do.

I wonder what Cain gave up by disobeying God? He is known infamously all over the world as the first murderer. The only other times we see him mentioned in the Bible are Hebrews 11, 1 John 3, and Jude 1, and they all speak of the murder of Abel. How could God have redeemed Him had he obeyed? What great things could God have done in his life, even after he sinned, that he forfeited by leaving the presence of God and building a city?

How does our desire for control pull us away from God? When we seek to control our lives we show no trust in God's provision. We seek the counsel of man, and lean on our own understandings, without giving God a thought. We are called to live as wanderers, completely dependent upon God, but too many times we choose control and comfort over trust and obedience. What blessings have we forfeited? What miracles have we been unable to witness? What great things have we not gotten to be a part of?

Shortly we'll see another man, called to wander. He obeyed, and through him all the peoples of the earth have been blessed. Oh that we would choose to wander like he did.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor