Caffeinated Crunchy Christian Moms

Read: Genesis 4–7

As we continue in Genesis, we move quickly from Adam and Eve, to Cain and Abel, and then to Noah.

One thing that always gets me when reading these early chapters is how long people lived. It’s hard to even wrap my mind around. But we also see God decide to limit human life, saying that people would live no longer than 120 years (Genesis 6:3). Sin had entered the world, and everything began to change.

Let’s talk about Cain and Abel for a moment.

“Cain was very angry.” — Genesis 4:5

And honestly, how relatable is anger? I get angry with/at things all the time. If you let your heart fill with anger it can quickly turn to sin though. Sin is a very slippery slope. If you choose to do what is right you can avoid sin, anger, hatred, depression, etcetera. Sin is always there, but you must lean into God and use the Holy Spirit to fight against it. It is not a fight that you should go at alone.

God warns Cain before things spiral:

“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 4:7

This isn’t just Cain’s story though; it’s ours too.

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” — Romans 3:23–24

Sin hurts the heart of God.

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth… The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.” — Genesis 6:5–6

Now let’s look at Noah.

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” — Genesis 6:9

That doesn’t mean Noah was perfect, it means he chose obedience in a world that had completely turned away from God.

“The Lord then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.’” — Genesis 7:1

My toddler just turned three, and he is very much testing boundaries and pushing limits. He often chooses not to listen or obey. But if I’m honest with myself, I do the same thing with God. God still loves me, just like I still love my toddler. That doesn’t mean I don’t want what’s best for him. I want Wylder to make good choices, follow the path God has for him, and learn to listen and obey. God parents us the same way; with love, patience, correction, and a desire for our hearts, not just our behavior.

My husband and I are teaching our toddler that Jesus says he must obey his mommy and daddy, and when he doesn’t, there are consequences. Lately I’ve been trying to discipline with this question in mind: Is this just annoying or inconvenient? Or is it actually sinful? My husband is huge on teaching about lying. We are intentionally teaching our son that lying is not okay; not just because it frustrates us, but because Scripture tells us it’s wrong. Scripture should always be the “go-to.”

Discussion Questions

Noah is described as someone who “walked faithfully with God.” What does walking faithfully with God look like in your current season?

Respond below!

A Note from the Author