Now The Cross is Our Identity!

Genesis 4:11-16 New International Version

11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[a]; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,[b] east of Eden.

Thursday - June 10

We give ourselves all sorts of identities that we trust and believe in. We believe that those identities are what define us and give us value, such as being a good parent, spouse, student, worker, etc. Or we pride ourselves in some attribute like being smart, funny, athletic, and much more. Cain’s sin blinded him to his true identity as a beloved child of God (remember that he was a son of Adam and Eve). Instead, he tried to manipulate God in order to earn a blessing. Here God shows Cain mercy by marking him. All Cain’s false idols and identities have been removed. From this point on Cain would have to trust in God’s mark for salvation. This is what Jesus has done in our lives. He removed all our false idols and identities that we place our hopes in. In their place he leaves the mark of his cross. From now on the cross is our identity, salvation, and the sign of God’s mercy.