Nougat 6

Greetings

I hope you’re still attuned to this blessings series and have not yet gotten weary of this theme. In any case, Today’s Holy Nougat has a different perspective on blessing in relation to when things go wrong.

“And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one tenth of everything.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭14‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

The El Elyon Blessing

Abram had not yet become the famous father of all nations. He had successfully relocated from Ur in Chaldea to the land of Promise and New Beginnings, under God’s directive. All was good on his side, he was ‘living his blest life.’ But his nephew Lot, who’d begin the journey with him, and had discovered the land of ‘milk and money’ (he was pursuing material gain), was not. For Lot had been captured, collateral damage in a war not of his own making.

Bad news travels fast, so Abram found himself plugged in the war as Sodom’s ally, for the sake of Lot. By God’s grace, he vanquished the enemy and rescued Lot. This is essentially where we encounter the Double Blessing Nougat. For Melchizedek meets Abram on his homeward journey and blesses him, right there and then.

Who was this Melchizedek you ask?- The King of Salem, and High Priest of God.

Melchizedek’s blessing begins with Abram and ends with God. Yet Abram’s blessing is rooted in God and God’s blessing is in response to Abram’s blessing.

Having had the background is now proven important, because those enemies became Abram’s only by way of Lot. Had Lot not been kidnapped, Abram wouldn’t have needed that blessing.

Siblings in Christ, sometimes other’s poor choices place us in awkward situations. We may even have to fight battles that didn’t belong to us, both in the natural and the spiritual. When that happens, we might find that our response determines our blessing. No, this is not an invitation or a directive to go fight people’s battles indiscriminately; but there are times when we’re drawn into intercession our live conflict instigated by others which result in our being blessed. We don’t always know that at the beginning.

But God does

Perfect reason to bless God for God’s gifts and grace in advance. And definitely after we’ve emerged more than conquerors in Christ (see Romans 8:37). We thank the Blesser for the Blessing.

Did you remember that Salem is Peace? That’s extremely significant to me in this blessing, as it says to us that God’s Standard is Peace. I believe Love may also be part of the mix, but definitely by adapting Isaiah 59:19, we see that when the enemy came like a flood, it was the ‘king’ of Peace who greeted Abram. God’s Peace is a blessing, let’s not take it for granted.

Whatever conflict we face in this season, especially if it’s not of our own doing, may we rest assured in the confidence of God’s presence with us, and in Peace, receive God’s blessing even as we receive God’s blessing to overcome.

May all we seek be found in Christ