Corona Devo 161

Have you conquered anything lately?  Perhaps a game level or a new recipe or maybe you kept your opinion to yourself when someone shared an opposing view (that is a victory for me!).

It feels good to come out on top, and our knee-jerk reaction is to own the win and to feel entitled to any reward.  We earned it.

But, did we? 

No, God did.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:17

Abram (soon to be renamed “Abraham” by God) had a special place in his heart for his nephew, Lot.  And so he got protective when he heard that:

11 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned.

13 But one of Lot’s men escaped and reported everything to Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram’s allies.  ~Genesis 14:11-13

Do you have family that you love so much you would fight for them?  Abram’s love and responsibility for Lot burned strong, and he wasn’t going to let an opposing army (fill-in-your-blank for the enemy: drugs/alcohol/depression/porn/self-focus/sin) march off with his loved one.  Abram mobilized his own little army of friends, and God was the one plotting his attack.  The Lord is the Commander of Heaven’s Armies and of our daily battles as well.

14 When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. 15 There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives. ~Genesis 14:14-16

Abram was a normal man, but he was not going to stand for injustice, and he was not going to allow an enemy army to carry off his kin.  Today, there are enemy armies attacking our Christian faith, our morals, our thoughts, and our patriotism.  We can be mobilized to live boldly and to reclaim who we are in Christ, and also to fight for others who have been attacked.  

17 After Abram returned from his victory…, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing:

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. ~Genesis 14:17-20

I love the example of humility that Abram lives out.  When he comes back from the victory, the king wants to honor him, and the priest blesses him.  But Abram defers the honor to God.  

The Lord fights our battles for us.  We have to put one foot in front of the other in advancing as Christ directs us each day, but we cannot kid ourselves and mistakenly think that we have won any battles in our own strength.  

On a side note, please also notice that Abram gave a tenth of his rewards/goods to the church.  (Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. ~Genesis 14:20).  This is where we get the word "tithe": it comes the word "tenth".  The Lord gives us all that we have, Abram lives out the Biblical example of giving back to the Lord from our first-fruits or first-rewards.  We are called to support the Church in giving out of gratitude and honor to the Lord.

The last piece of today's scripture continues to prove Abram's character and his beautiful example for us in living lives for the Lord today.  The king offered him all of the spoils, but Abram was content, (are we content?) and all that Abram requested was that the king also remember Abram's friends, who had went to fight alongside him.  Remember "Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner...Abram’s allies" from back in verse 13?  Abram made sure that they were taken care of:  

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.”

22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”  Genesis 14:21-24

Abram is such a good guy, isn't he?  But do you notice that he stands morally tall in all of the little choices each day.  It was not any one event or feat that made him a strong man of God.  It was all the little choices that he consistently made in humility and in deference to God.

We can do that too.  We can be good men and women for God.  We can stand morally tall by making one Godly choice at a time.  And like Abram, in Christ we can conquer enemies that attack us or our kin.  We can gather friends to join us in support of Godly causes and then we should take care of them for doing so.  It's only right.

Sometimes it seems to hard to find people making the right choices.  But today I am grateful for Abram's example in living well.  

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com