Daily Devotion for Lent 2018 - Day 8, Thursday

Scripture Reading: Genesis 9-10 (NRSV)

Wolves fight over food. We are more sophisticated

in our territorialism but a lot of the time it still

comes down to being afraid.

We have a kind of re-boot following the flood.  This time around, people are given the option of eating the animals.  If you read Genesis 1:28-31, it implies that only the vegetation was originally given for food.  Now we seem to have the menu opened up dramatically.

The similarity in these two passages is the command to "be fruitful and multiply" however, the difference lies with the "fear and dread" that all animals shall have of humanity.  While this may sound like good news if you questioned where you were on the food chain, now that we are firmly on top, it comes with a little chagrin.

At this point, it seems that God institutes capital punishment for murder.  The life for a life model is the first step in the ordering of human society.  It is used as a deterrent for violence.  Interestingly, God doesn't utilize this standard in dealing with Cain when he slew his brother, Abel.

When Jesus references homicide in the Sermon on the Mount, this is what he says:

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire."

                       Matthew 5:21-22 (NRSV)

Jesus has higher hopes for humanity at this point.  Don't even allow yourself to become angry with someone else. God seems to be instilling a greater order on how people interact.  On the days where I'm optimistic for people, I believe that we are making progress.  However, there are other days when it feels like Cain and Abel all over again.    

Maybe on these days, I should initiate God's action toward Cain and seek to forgive rather than God's directive to Noah that seeks retribution.  Jesus seems to move me to the former rather than the latter.  

It is definitely the harder road to take as oftentimes our own anger leads us to seek vengeance.  Maybe that's why Jesus bids us to master this difficult emotion.


We are reluctant, O Author of Love,
   to set aside our hurt, our anger, our disappointment.
Heal us with your tender touch,
   that we might be cleansed of all unclean thoughts,
   all schemes of revenge, all hope of vindictive retribution.
Open our eyes to the power of love,
   shown to us in the unselfish sacrifice
      of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen. 
Prayer by Michael J. O'Donnell, The United Methodist Book of Worship

Photo by Tambako The Jaguar via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.