Shalom

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” In our busy lives filled with worries and struggles, and in a world filled with strife and pain, we long for this peace from Christ. But what is peace? In our minds, peace typically means calm assurance in the midst of turmoil, restored harmony between people or nations, or the absence of war. While peace does encompass harmony, tranquility and reconciliation, it has a much fuller meaning. Most of us are familiar with the Hebrew word for peace: shalom. The root of the word shalom means “to make complete or whole.” In addition to “harmony” and “the absence of agitation or discord,” Strong’s Concordance uses these words to define shalom: completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness and rest. In many epistles in the New Testament, the writers greet the recipients in peace. This is more than a simple “hello” or wish of calm upon a person or group. This greeting carries with it the weight of the full meaning of the word shalom: a spiritual wholeness and well-being that comes from God. In his book Jesus the Jewish Theologian, Brad H. Young says, “In essence it [shalom] includes every aspect of an individual’s well-being and inner strength.”

How can we have this shalom? God is the only true source of shalom. In fact, Shalom was sometimes used as a name for God, which is to say that He is the essence of perfection. By the same token, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Attaining shalom requires pursuing a relationship with this God of Peace. We are able to do that through Christ our Savior, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins. Only through Christ’s blood can we be perfect and whole. We pursue God (Shalom) by writing His Word upon our hearts, obeying and trusting Him, and loving others. I believe Jesus gave us the key to peace in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” In closing, I leave you with the words of a familiar song, which constitute a blessing God commanded Aaron to bestow upon the Israelites: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). Shalom!

Jessica Adams