Hate, Murder, Judgement, Mercy

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.

"Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

This is part of the story of Cain and Abel from Genesis Chapter 4. I only have one older sister and I have never really grown up with her. I don't think I have ever hated her. I know for a fact I have hated other people in my life though. I have never hated someone so much that i wanted to murder them though. There is a part in Matthew chapter 5 where Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

What I got from this statement is that hating somebody is the same as murdering somebody. After Cain kills Abel, the Lord said that Abel's blood was crying out to him. I wonder what that sounded like. I also wonder the pain that God goes through when he hears that. This really convicted me not to be hateful towards others. I don't want God to hear that sound.

It is especially hard for me to show mercy for people who I felt have wronged me. My basic reaction is have anger and resentment stored up inside me. By being merciful however, I can be an example. 1 Timothy 1:16 says "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."

I'm going to end with Hebrews 4:16. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."