God Sees

God Sees

When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry.

Genesis 4:3-5

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts.

Hebrews 11:4

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

Proverbs 15:8

Doctors use X rays or ultrasounds to see inside our bodies. They can look for broken bones or growths that shouldn’t be there. God sees inside us too, but he doesn’t need an X-ray machine to see what’s in our hearts.

Genesis tells us the story of Cain and Abel, who both brought offerings to God. But for some reason, Cain’s offering offended God. When we read the story, it’s hard to see what the problem was. It’s not obvious to us. But God could see through both of these people, and he saw a difference in their offerings—a difference in their hearts toward him. Evidently, while Cain brought his leftovers to God, Abel brought his very best. Cain brought what he could comfortably afford; Abel risked everything on God by his gift. That’s faith. God could see through to their hearts, and he saw religious effort in one heart and true worship in the other.

When we go through the motions of religious activity—going to church, singing, praying, giving—God sees. When we put in the minimum required, with no heart toward wanting to express to God our love, devotion, and gratitude, God sees. People around us probably can’t tell the difference, but we can’t hide our hearts from God.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

What would it be like to be able to hear another person’s thoughts?

How did Abel’s gift of the firstborn lamb show faith?

What can you do when you find yourself going through the motions of worship with a cold heart?