Genesis 4:12-14 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

While exchanging dialogue with a friend this morning, this thought entered into the conversation. “What is it going to take to keep this dialogue going?” The conversation was productive but could easily turn into that moment when he would turn and no longer face me. He could like Cain hide his face from me.

Cain chose to hide his face from God. God’s punishment for killing Abel did not come with any unwillingness to keep the dialogue going. That was Cain’s choice. Cutting off the dialogue was Cain’s choice.

At that moment in scripture what were Cain’s options? He looks to his punishment and sees a bleak and dismal future. At that moment his fear of man comes into focus. What will other people think? Here is Cain after killing his brother in dialogue with his creator and cannot see the value in keeping the dialogue going.

While you have God talking to you, no matter what the circumstance, no matter what you have done, no matter how you feel, keep the dialogue going. Rather than turning your back of God, why not just ask; “What would you have me do?”

Consequences of sin does not mean God has turned His back on you. If you allow that to be the focal point then you aren’t asking the right questions. Fear of man will still be there but maybe, just maybe God has an answer for you in how to deal with that fear.

You won’t hear the answer if you don’t ask.