February 15, 2017
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Being A Blessing

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Opening Prayer

Creator God, You are the God of wonder, the God of the everyday. I praise You for the miraculous and the routine.

Read Genesis 14

[1] At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, [2] these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). [3] All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). [4] For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. [5] In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim [6] and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. [7] Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar. [8] Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim [9] against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar-four kings against five. [10] Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. [11] The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. [12] They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. [13] A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. [14] When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. [15] During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. [16] He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. [17] After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). [18] Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, [19] and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. [20] And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. [21] The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” [22] But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, [23] that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ [24] I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me-to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Share your life, and find the finest joy it is possible to know. Do not be stingy with your heart. Get out of yourselves into the lives of others, and new life will flow into you” (Joseph Fort Newton, 1876–1950).

Life can change dramatically—ask Lot! He thought he was in a place “like the garden of the Lord” (13:10) but he experienced years of domination by powerful Mesopotamian kings, rebellion by local rulers and devastating reprisal raids (1–12). Meanwhile Abraham lived outside the troubled area, but when told about “his relative” (14), “this pastoralist-shepherd-nomad-merchant man suddenly takes on the role of warrior” (V. P. Hamilton). He has not used his “trained men” (14) to take the Promised Land for himself, but now they can benefit others. As a result, not only Lot, but “the women and the other people” (16) too, are blessed. God has not been mentioned thus far in the chapter, but Melchizedek sees Abraham’s amazing victory as due to “God Most High” (20). Christians debate whether others worship the same God. Significantly, Abraham identifies the Canaanite king’s “God Most High” with “the Lord” (22) and Israelites later use “Most High” as a name of God (Deut. 32:8; 2 Sam. 22:14; Psa. 7:17). Don Richardson, missionary and author of the book Eternity in Their Hearts, details many examples of “the Melchizedek factor,” where terms and concepts in a group’s own history prepare them for the Gospel. Be alert to ways in which people are responding to God’s general revelation. Begin there, to get to Christ (Acts 17:22–31). Abraham’s rescue of Lot and his response to the two kings provides an example for leaders in the church. He seeks to benefit others, not himself. He generously gives Melchizedek a tenth of the booty, but keeps none for himself. He does not want to compromise his reliance on God alone to make him rich, while he thoughtfully ensures that others receive their share. All he gains from the venture is praise to God and Melchizedek’s blessing! Here is the beginning of ways in which through Abraham “all peoples on earth will be blessed” (12:3).

Apply

What would you do if you were instructed to leave a comparatively safe place and spend your resources on others?

Closing prayer

Lord, I know it is more blessed to give than receive, but I often struggle with this. I ask You to create a giving, generous heart in me.

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