Genesis 4: 2 When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. 9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” 15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

the story of cain and abel is always amazing to me... always things I can't comprehend or accept in it... 

beginning with the sacrifice... did cain even know that his sacrifice would be considered wrong when he gave it to God? how often is what we sacrifice and imagine to be accepted never really accepted by God? do we ever find out that it wasn't? 

cain killing his brother over him being accepted while cain was not is sad but is so often the truth of our world... we outcast or just completely want rid of those who make us feel less than them.. of course we never really want to talk about feeling like that... even though it is truth... 

then God makes cain a homeless wanderer... that part by itself is bad enough... then He also casts him out from His presence... if we cannot be in the presence of the Lord, is life even worth living at that point? I am not sure I would say it would be for me... here cain is worrying about being killed by someone.. all I would be worried about it God having left me...