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Isolation


Hashe

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I have some friends that never let you pay for anything. They never want you to do anything for them because they don’t want to feel ‘in debt’ to them. I find this quite sad.

 

In Gen 4 we read the story of Cain and Abel and how sin uses Cain’s feeling of rejection to strike out in anger at his brother. After God’s first response to Cain’s sin (trying to engage in relationship through questions!), Cain reacts to the punishment he receives from God. He finds it too difficult to bear. He feels so low and worthless that he expects anybody that he meets will kill him. However God responds with grace to Cain’s anguish, even though Cain doesn’t ask for it. God puts a mark on Cain that will protect him.

 

Cain seems to be like my friends who never want you to do anything for them. Although God has given him his protection, Cain rejects it. How do I know this? He goes and builds a city! In the culture of the day, a city was walled and a place of protection. Cain tries to create his own safe place, rather than accept God’s protection.

 

For me this image is of someone locked up and distant from others. Cain has rejected what God has done for him and rather than empower him, it isolates him.

 

Makes me wonder where I don’t accept what God has done for me? Am I trying to earn his grace? Am I trying to earn his love? Are there things I’m trying to redo that he has already done for me? How does this lead to isolation and lack of community in my life?

 

(From http://ontoxenos.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/isolated/) Used with permission

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I have some friends that never let you pay for anything. They never want you to do anything for them because they don’t want to feel ‘in debt’ to them. I find this quite sad.

 

 

Maybe they are just graced with the gift of giving?

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Blessings Hashe

    Cain sealed his fate of being a rejected wanderer because of his irreverance & unrepentant heart,he only cried out to God because he feared death but God ,in His Mercy,marked him for protection & his mark also served as the mark of a murderer,he built his city(named it after his son) probably trying to establish roots in his pride & arrogance ,without God & without repentance..............it was a Godless city

    Cain did not reject Gods protection,he was too selfish for that  ....he rejected Sovereign God.  I don't see the relevance in the writers friends that do not want to be indebted to their friends and Cain,I do not think he (or she) has a clear understanding of of these Scriptures............Cain was wicked,he only cried out to God out of fear for his own life.Perhaps it is the way it is worded ,the writer seems to portray Cain as being sorrowful and convicted of his sin against his brother?

      Anyway,is there something you wanted to talk about as you posted this story under Gen Discussion? And God Bless you this beautiful day our Lord has granted us!Glory to God!

                                                                                                                                                                     With love-in Christ,Kwik

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I have some friends that never let you pay for anything. They never want you to do anything for them because they don’t want to feel ‘in debt’ to them. I find this quite sad.

My grandma was like that. She would try to give people back their money if they bought her Christmas gifts. She would keep asking you how much the gift was so she could pay for it. She just did not seem to understand that people got  a joy out of giving gifts.

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It takes humility to receive a gift. It is much easier to give. It was hard for me to receive gifts that I can't use or don't want. Now I receive them as a memorial of peoples' love. But it took a long time for me to do that. Now I am so ashamed of my past attitudes. My husband is a person who always gives me little gifts, often things left over from garage sales.

I would take a gift of a cup of coffee graciously. Someday there will be something that you can do for them, perhaps. But irrigardless pray first to thank God for this cup of coffee that your friend has so kindly given you. "Owe no man anything but to love one another" Romans 13:8

Some people try to control others by their gifts or wealth, especially politicians. Others feel obligated by such gifts. But when we acknowledge that God is our real Provider then we are only indebted to Him as our Heavenly Father Who enjoys lavishing good gifts on His children.

Eph.1:5-8a NASV He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.

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