In light of most recent events (read: the East Coast earth-shaker that took place around lunchtime today) I figured now would be as good a time as any to put some of my thoughts on paper (digital though it may be) concerning our concept of Peace. As I've mentioned earlier, in our Small Group class at church we're working through an amazing book; namely, Ann Spangler's Praying the Names of God. This week's Name is Yahweh Shalom, "The Lord is Peace" taken from Judges 6, the Biblical tale of Gideon.
"Peace" is a word that obviously carries around a lot of weight these days, especially in light of recent world events. We all long for peace, but strangely enough the ancient Hebrew word here (shalom) means so much more than the absence of outward conflict or the state of reaching inner calm. For one thing, it reminds us that the peace we all long for comes only from God. True shalom cannot be found in material possessions, job security, off-shore bank accounts, or a good education. If we are not careful, the blessings we crave can even turn into desires in disguise, robbing us of the peace we look for to begin with.
Friends, true peace, true shalom can only be found in the presence of the living God. When our lives are shattered, nothing matters more than to be reconciled to God, Who alone can restore our broken relationship with Himself. The great news of the Gospel is that God not only allows such restoration but that He seeks us when we are lost (cf. Luke 15:3-7).
No comments:
Post a Comment