Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. (Gen 14,18)

Abram now did not ask God for a visitation from above. It's hard to say what was going through his head at that moment. Probably especially a wonderful feeling of relief thanks to the victory, because before the fight, of course, he did not know for sure how it would turn out, what the losses would be and whether he would escape alive himself. But he was still vigilant - they could run into a stray enemy squad. The procession of Sodom, which he led back, also needed care, treatment, food.

His heart was therefore turbulent with all the events of the last day, and thoughts flowed. He thought of Sarah and looked forward to returning to the peace of home (understand: the tent) again, because he knew very well that he was not born for war, no, it was not and never will become his profession.

And just at that moment, God sent Malkísedek to meet him, the King of peace. What peace radiated from him when Abram saw him from afar! He knew at once that he was not an abandoned warrior from the battle, that he was someone coming from elsewhere, as if from another world. His dignity, his peaceful words, seemed like a balm to a troubled soul.

How precious it is that God visits us when we need it most! How many of us have the experience that in difficult, critical moments, when we ourselves do not know where to go, God would come with his sovereign peace and overshadows us, hiding us "under his wings". Often we don't even have time to ask, things occur too fast, and suddenly God comes to meet us with His peace, the sovereign Shalom. And with it there comes a different, heavenly atmosphere, despite the turmoil that prevails around.

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). Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. (Gen 14,17-18)

The king of Sodom went out to meet Abram after the battle, but it was not just a friendly meeting - Abram set the Sodom´s inhabitants and their property free. Now the domestic king comes to Abram the stranger in the position of a poor man, bound and given at his mercy to ask him for his people.

Suddenly, another king, Melchisedek, appears. King of Salem, who is also a priest - this was only possible in the ancient tribal communities, later on the two roles were divided. This only proves the reason why Abram had to leave his family and homeland with the acceptance of the new God. The deity was so connected to the tribe that its member was not in a position of free choice, what he would believe; he had to submit.

However, this Melchisedek is a strange phenomenon: he is "a priest of the Most High God." Abram must have been amazed: so far he thought that he was the only worshiper of the Lord in the land. And now the priest of his new God is coming to meet him? Where did he come from, where did he learn about his God?

Because we have the New Testament, we know who this priest really was: "This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever." (Heb 7,1-3)

Abram experiences an ever-increasing revelation of God as he now meets the Son of God in the form of the Prince of Peace - King of Shalom (Salem). He came to meet him to bring his shalom (peace) into his troubled soul after the fight, the sovereign peace of God, which "exceeds every thought" (Philippians 4:7).

It is Him who possess and rules with this peace (Isaiah 9:5).

He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. (Gen 14,15-16)

Someone once said that Abram only needed two things to live: an altar and a tent. In some ways this is true, but somewhat idealized. In earthly life, he would not get along only with the spiritual side (worship of God), although of course that was the most important thing. However, he also had to master very practical skills - to be a farmer, operations manager, businessman, peace negotiator, family father... and perhaps few would expect that in critical moments like this he even had to become a warrior.

We have no idea if he needed such skills before or after, but it is certain that he did not do badly as a military leader. He repulsed the forces of those who had previously won at Sodom and who, as conquerors, were certainly more trained and accustomed to fighting. Of course, Abram was driven by the need to free the close Lot at any cost - in many wars it is the moral force, not just warlike superiority, that is the pointer on the scales.

In the Scriptures we find a number of great men who were the bearers of epoch-making spiritual change, a number of judges who fought for victory. Among them there are people of various skills and professions - shepherds, farmers, builders, winemakers, musicians, top waiters, educated courtiers, carpenters, fishermen, tent makers - but only exceptionally a priest! It is strange how God chooses His instruments, and it is not at all true that His work is based only on professional clergy. Once all that is happening among God's people becomes their domain, a paralyse and stiffening come, the once life-giving movement becomes a static denomination. If it is possible to learn something from the history of the Church, then at least this lesson.

Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (Gen 14,14)

I wrote that Abram noticed certain changes that had taken place inside him since he followed his new God. He had never really heard of any inward changes experienced by worshipers of idols. There was nothing like that with them, perhaps just religious zeal and not neglecting bringing sacrifices.

For the time being, Abram did not become stronger in faith, but rather weaker. He found out that on this journey it was not enough to make every effort to grasp his persuasions, that what God pleases simply transcends a man and he often cannot act from his own strength. For example, the generosity towards Lot, which was so richly rewarded by God - he realized that he would probably not have behaved like this on his own before. After all, life experience showed him that the one who could not take what the opportunity offered was left empty-handed in the end. But he found out that on the path of faith, it was quite the opposite.

People who do not know the Christian faith and God's power to change their hearts believe that Christianity is about playing a kind of pious role. Trying to be nice, compliant, always kind (like someone free of all testosterone). But playing a role, even if someone accepts it voluntarily, is not an internal change, but an external one. It is the clothing of a coat or rather a jacket that paralyzes a person so that his gross qualities are not manifested. After a while, this grip breeds frustration, despondency, and hidden aggression, the need to sublimate the repressed mental life into things that religion forbids — a futile circle of defeat, guilt, and persistent efforts for change that does not occur.

Abram found out that he should rather be able to let certain things go and not enforce them, that he would receive more from God through expectation, faith. But the moment he learned that Lot had been captured, he immediately, at full risk, rushed to his rescue without thinking long. In this event the life of Lot, Abram and their families was at stake. It was probably the first time that Abram had gone into a war in which he could have perished in a moment.

His determination is admirable - he risks everything for the person who did not treat him best. How is it possible that he became less determined in one area ... but no less determined in another? If Abram took on those pious roles in the pursuit to become a worthy person, if his transformation did not come from the inside out, we would see in him a man whose strength is stewed, a lame man, incapable of action. But his transformation was different, characteristic of all the followers of God: he became a lamb where he had been a goat before, and a lion where he had used to be rather timid.

Sometimes he had the impression that he did not fully know himself anymore. However, the moment he set out with his men against the attackers, he had no thoughts of the kind.

Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre... (Gen 14,11-13)

There was a tribal war around the Dead Sea, about 60 km from where Abram was staying. The tribes, subjugated for years, revolted and tried to escape from the domination of the stronger ones, but failed. The invaders then plundered the entire area, including the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram was far enough, and especially high in the mountains, so as not to be personally affected by this incident, but... it was his nephew, Lot, who had settled in Sodom.

Demonstrating generosity to those who have not shown it to us requires a man of character. Couldn't Abram have been tempted to think: It has nothing to do with me, Lot now has what he wanted, after all he chose a better part of the land and now was struck by a fair destiny? How human would it only have been...

But it is clear that Abram did not inwardly separate from him even after their split-up. This fact also proves Abram's character as "abba", the father of the family: he continues to feel responsible for the younger Lot, even though he may be disappointed by his actions. It would have been easier and much less risky for him to give up on him and leave him in trouble, persuaded that it was only what he deserved.

After all, who knows how Lot would have behaved in his place?

"Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord. (Gen 13,17-18)

It was a beautiful journey, so far the best Abram had made through the Promised Land. Just to walk enjoying the look around, rejoicing in God. Today we would say: what a "holiday", but then no one would have a clue about it.

Abram was again aware of the inner changes that were taking place in him. Before he set out for his God, he was a capable businessman. He could take advantage of opportunities when they came, and he knew it was necessary not to let them pass. He understood and was able to make use of them, turn them into profit, and therefore his business flourished.

But as he walked around the land now, he realized that God had given him far more than he could gain on his own. At the same time, he was in a position of loss in the breakup with Lot, and such a loss would normally hurt him. But now he felt different, and that didn't correspond to how he used to experience things before. It was as if he could not even seize the greatest, most important things himself, but God would give them to him as a gift.

It was not easy to switch to a mode where he believed rather than acted, thanked for what he received rather than took it himself. The Lot, to whom such attitudes were not known so he simply took what he longed for - this Lot, according to God's word, will not win this land, it will belong to Abram on "all sides". Abram thus experienced the fulfillment of Christ's later word, "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." (Mat 5,5)

Inside, he now felt a certain tension between the old and the new ways, the old and the new Abram. This internal dispute will continue to accompany him, and although the new Abram will often win it, there will also be moments when he will lose this match.

But he didn't know that now. For the moment, on his "holiday" journey, he built another altar to God, as if to testify to everyone and himself at what he intends to continue to look.

Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by [d]the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord. (Gen 13,17-18)

The relationship with God does not mean that a man must always bring results and become a kind of machine for good deeds, for religious activities with visible outputs. Of course, religious people of any kind, be it Christianity, Judaism or Islam etc., need to satisfy their unreconciled conscience with an evidence that they are accepted by God. If they do not have a living relationship with Him, they cannot be satisfied only with quiet moments of visitation, where one feels the inner harmony with the Spirit of God. They want something tangible so that they can present it to God, just as Cain tried and brought his sacrifice.

However, we don't just do pragmatic things in a relationship, and if so, maybe it's not alive anymore! One philosopher defined freedom as a state in which a man "can do things that make no sense"; he said that in allusion to totalitarian regimes, where all human actions, at least the public ones, are seriously compared to the goals set by the government. In former communist countries people remember very well the many slogans along streets and squares, encouraging the working class to achieve higher goals, perform more, fulfill new production plans and challenges.

But a living relationship doesn't know only a work. On the contrary, there is a lot about experiencing and emotions. God will often give a person to experience a special depth of joy ("the righteous shall rejoice in the Lord" Ps. 64:10), sometimes even so great that "for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves..."(Mal 4:2)

After Lot had left, God called Abram to look around and see what God had given him. But that's not all: he goes on and calls him to set out and go around the country once more. As if he wanted to tell him: come with me again, look, rejoice, and believe that I am not lying, even though some doubts might come up to your mind now. Today we would say: go and just enjoy what you see around. Neither a friend nor an enemy, no circumstance, simply nothing can change at all that it will one day belong to your offspring.