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Sin Is Crouching at Your Door

             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 rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)

In 1645, Leona Allatius, a Greek theologian and patron of the Italian Renaissance theorized that vampires could not enter a home without having been invited. Now, I don’t believe in actual vampires, but they do a great job of representing some ideas. They are a good way to describe people who just drain you dry because they are so needy or demanding. They are also a great representation of this verse. God told Cain that sin was crouching at his door. Whether or not it got Cain depended on what Cain did about it - either inviting it in or ruling over it by not letting it in.

Sadly, we tend to be at a disadvantage right from the start, because we are fallen. Even before we understand what sin is, we have learned it as normal behavior. In effect, those who love us best, and whom we love, have invited it in. Half the time, I don't think we recognize it crouching at our doors or even lounging in our livingrooms.And yet, this passage makes it clear that we do have a choice.

Last night, after reading about God’s will, I wrote in my journal that god’s will is for me to love and trust Him and walk in accordance with His will. “But,” I said, “I am a weakling, a glutton, a rebel, a coward, and an arrogant know-it-all. I cannot overcome myself.”

God’s answer was that I’m not supposed to overcome myself. That’s His job. This passage came to mind. I am to rule over sin. I am to overcome fear with faith, hatred with love, anger with peace and joy, and sin with righteousness. I need to think about this a lot more - but the vampire concept (which came to mind this morning) is a good image as I do. The first step is to learn to recognize it when it darkens our doorstep.

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