“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.”           Genesis 14:18 NIV

Going back to verse 18, we are told Melchizedek served Abram bread and wine. We need no interpreter for this. These are the symbols of love. They speak eloquently of strength and joy flowing out from the passion of self-giving love. All this is recorded in the Old Testament, yet as we read it, we can see in this historical incident a beautiful picture of the need of our own lives. There is nothing that has such power to motivate the Christian heart as to partake, with the people of the Lord, of these symbols of the suffering of our blessed Lord. He gave Himself in the fullness of His life, poured out all that He was, and as we feast by the Spirit upon the symbols of His life, we are strengthened, enabling us to meet all that comes our way. This is the only power sufficient to make us reject the world’s offer and maintain our independence as servants of Christ. The love of Christ constrains us! In the intimacy of this fellowship, under the ministry of Melchizedek, Abram worships his Lord. The record says he gave him a tenth of everything, that is, he gave him tithes of all he had. The tithe is not a debt paid to the Lord, it is rather a reminder that everything belongs to Him. Recognizing that all we are and have is to be given to the Lord in worship. The whole of our life is to be focused on the one aim of serving our Lord.

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, everything we have, we offer to You in worship.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord thank you that the tithe is not a debt paid to You, it is rather a reminder that everything belongs to You. We recognize that all we are and have is to be given to You in worship. The whole of our lives is to be focused on the one aim of serving You. AMEN

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Romans 8:18-30

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