The Gospel

I am reading and AMAZING book. It's called Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatric and her daughter Jessica Thompson. I'm only on chapter 2 but I must say that I am loving that the Gospel is the center of it!!! It's giving me the desire to go through the Bible and study each segment in how it is Christocentric. I want to dig into the Word with the understanding that ever verse points to Christ, that it isn't just a book, but the entire thing is a picture of God's saving grace. The entire thing points us to our need for Christ. So for today's Wednesday Wisdom link up, I want to look at the Gospel in the story of Cain and Able.

We all know this story, but here is a quick recap. Adam and Eve had 2 sons, Cain and Able. Cain brought God some fruit, but Able brought God the best he had to offer from his livestock and God looked with favor on Able but not Cain. This is like the difference in your child coming home from school (if you use the public school) and tossing his backpack at you and saying that there was something in there for you vs. him coming home holding a picture and running up to you saying, "look mom!! I drew this just for you!!!" It's not what the picture actually is that matters. It's the heart. Cain gave some, Able gave his best, and did it out of love for God. Anyway!!! Back to the point. Cain was jealous that Able was looked upon with favor and killed him. Because of his sin, God drove Cain from the land. Cain cried out that his punishment was too much for him. That he couldn't bear to be hidden from God's presence and that he would be killed for his crimes.

The Gospel is that while Cain deserved to die for what he did, God showed him mercy. He did not let anyone kill Cain, but let him live. Just as He does for us. We are all sinners, just like Cain. We don't always give God the best of our best, but often just the leftovers, or a portion we think will please Him. We are jealous of those around us who get praise that we think we deserve (even when we don't). We harbor hate for others, which Jesus says is the same as committing murder in our hearts. BUT, because of Christ's willingness to die on our behalf, we do not have to spend eternity hidden from God's presence, but get to live eternally with Him. Because of Christ, we have been forgiven! Cain cried out that his punishment was too much, praise God that we don't have to endure that punishment! It's because of the Gospel that we can know that we will never have to experience that! God sent His own Son to earth to live a life of people hating Him and eventually killing Him (just as Cain killed Able) so that we wouldn't have to know what it was like to be eternally separated from God. Only Christ didn't stay dead! After 3 day's He rose again and is now sitting in heaven at the right hand of His Father, knowing that He has granted us the privilege of spending eternity with Him. That is the Gospel!

If you are interested in reading more Wednesday Wisdom posts or would like to write one of your own, check out Robin's blog: My blessings from the Lord

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