Mixing Practical Sheltering with Spiritual Blessing

Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs of you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks of you. Will you be that one to Him?  ~Mother Teresa



Abraham was exhausted from chasing the soldiers who took his nephew Lot, Lot's family and all they owned.  He had three hundred and eighteen men to take with him -- men who were servants, trained by him. 

Dividing the men into small groups, they came at the enemy from many directions -- in the middle of the night.  As one man said, "He whooped him."  Not only was Lot freed, but his people and possessions, too. 

Melchizedek, king of Salem,  went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh.  Before Melchizedek saw to Abraham's spiritual needs, he first served him bread and wine. 

The Joy in Living
A great choice for your Sheltering Library.

And then...a beautiful blessing offered for Abraham, the Friend of God: 

 Blessed be Abram by The High God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth.
 And blessed be The High God,
 who handed your enemies over to you.

You see, Melchizedek wasn't just a King, he was a priest of the most High God.  He knew it was hard to concentrate when you're hungry and thirsty.  He got it right.  Practical sheltering, then Spiritual blessing.

How often do we get it right?  We want to get people saved first.  Or we get the practical sheltering and leave out the blessing. 

I want to be more intentional in my sheltering.  And to get it in the right order.  Practical first -- blessing second.  Many Christian writers believe Melchizedek was the Son of God Himself.  Hebrews chapter seven at least uses the priesthood of Melchizedek as a type of Jesus Christ.  I don't know about you, but I do know I want to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

Practical food for the body, then Spiritual blessing for the soul.

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Soul Food

In the days after Sarah died, my friend, Janet, and I ate our weight in baked potatos.  They were warm and comforting.  This is a potato casserole recipe from my friend, Lorna.  She's a dumper, not a measurer, so dump to your heart's content to suite your taste.

Bacon Ranch Potatoes

Dice and cook potatoes to fill whichever size dish you need.  Spray dish and fill with cooked potatoes. Saute chopped onions and add to potatoes.  Fry  1/2 lb bacon.  Crumble and sprinkle over potatoes.  Pour ranch dressing over layers and sprinkle with shreaded cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted, approximately 30 minutes.

This is a casserole I would suggest taking to a new mother or a senior saint.  It's as good the second day as when it is fresh.