Shalom Shalom
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
Jesus spoke these words we read in the book of John — words that have echoed around the world for thousands of years…and yet do we fully understand them? When Jesus speaks of this peace he is giving to us…he makes a clear distinction that what he is giving is not as the world gives. If you were to search the meaning of the word peace, you will find why Jesus felt it necessary to separate his peace from that of this worlds, for the peace this world offers has many bullet points…
According to the Webster dictionary, peace is
A state of tranquility or quiet: such as freedom from civil disturbance
A state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom
Freedom from being disturbed or bothered by people, noise, etc.
The peace the world offers can also be defined as
freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
harmony in personal relations
a state or period of mutual concord between governments
a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity
to be, become, or keep silent or quiet
I think the last definition was close but still not quite to the peace Jesus speaks of, the peace he offers, peace in its purest form. From the moment Jesus spoke the words in John 14:27 to now as you read this reach, this world has done a spectacular job of diluting the word peace…and so as we reach for more of Jesus and less of this world, I want us to focus on the biblical meaning of peace by embracing shalom.
Shalom is in fact peace in its purest form…and as a bonus we don’t have to read through a list of bullet points. Turns out peace in its purest form has a fairly straight forward definition, and this by no means simplifies peace for while the definition is direct its depth of meaning is profound.
What I love about writing reaches, is the fact that we as the writers must reach as we write. The words that fill each blog don’t just come to us…we must reach for more of Him, that is not of this world, in order to process things in a way that is not of this world. Through reading God’s word…worshiping Him…soaking up time beside Him…we are able to share what I believe He places on our hearts, if we are willing and ready to write for Him. Last week, as I sat down to type up a reach…nothing came. I tried reading more of His word, praying and asking for His help…nothing came for a while…until finally something did.
I have learned that what I assume to be nothing from my Father is often times his very best somethings for me.
There was no reach to be written, but a calling for me to step into shalom with my Father. I needed to be with Him. He wanted me to be with Him. So I looked at my sweet boys playing in the living room and told them I needed to go outside. I would be back in just a moment. I needed to be alone with God because the peace I could offer myself was simply not enough. I ran outside and stood at the top of the hill in the yard. From where I stood, I could see the mountains in the distance. Then to the right, I could see the home we are building. In truth, a part of why I was struggling to feel at peace in the moment, was because building a house can be a daunting task and an expensive one. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I had been carrying. How much I had not been laying down at His feet.
As I stared at the mountains and then shifted my gaze to the beautiful house He is building for us…tears went from trickling to streaming down my face. All that He has done for me, and still I doubt He will provide. All that He has done for me, and still I struggle to rest in His peaceful pasture. Oh Maggie…the shame that came over me was crushing. I refused to look away from the mountains and the house. I wanted my heart and soul to see what God has done, and grasp what He is doing. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was entering into a deeper understanding of shalom with my Father. While I thought nothing was happening, He was about to give me a most beautiful something…
As I stood on the hill, asking for God to please forgive me, a small white shape took flight over the trees in front of me. I wiped my eyes to try and see more clearly. The blurred shape revealed its true form as a white, pure white, dove. I could hardly believe what I was seeing as white doves are not native to our region of the world. Yet this beautiful creature flew from the trees and landed…atop the ridge line of my future home. The fact that I was witnessing a white dove was remarkable…the timing of its arrival captured the attention of my heart…but where it landed was undeniably God. My mother would call this a “kiss from the Father” and a kiss it most certainly was.
Shalom replaced the shame I carried.
What if I had not come outside to be alone with God? What if I had tried to pacify my hardship with a plastic peace rather than peace in its purest, real form? What if I hadn’t sought the Lord in my distress?
I would have missed what He was waiting to give me. That one white dove was quiet, and yet I felt a symphony reverberate throughout my entire being. But what had I done to deserve this?? I brought shame and humility to the table. My dear Father brought shalom.
“All who have ears to hear, let them hear.”
Mark 4:9
Do you believe that God actually wants to see you come outside and be alone with Him?
What are you needing to bring to the table?
Have you received the shalom that Jesus is offering you?
Are you ready to receive it?
Consider this reach a lamp light turned on to the truth of the sort of peace Jesus wants to give. The peace he has made a way for us to have. To have shalom is to have completeness with God. To be right with God. To be wholesomely sound — body, mind and soul with God. But to be in this state with God, we must accept the only way to Him; the only way to be made right with Him. We must receive the gift that is Jesus Christ, for apart from him, there is no other way to the Father. When Jesus spoke the words, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” He was quite literally referring to Himself, and the shalom that he desires for us to have with the Father.
There is no step by step instruction on how to embrace this practice of shalom, even after we have accepted Jesus into our hearts. But I do trust Jesus, the one who sprinkled bread crumbs of life for us to find. So if we asked Jesus how do we rest in shalom, I have a feeling he has already answered that question with these words…
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Mathew 7:7
So ask Jesus — keep asking.
Seek Him — keep seeking.
Seeking can look like running outside to be alone with the Father one day, but don’t let it end there. For the more we seek Him, in every aspect of our lives... be it the good, the bad, the praiseworthy or the shameful… the more we intertwine Him into everyday. And the more we entwine the day with Him, the deeper we bind our existence to Him. That is when we rise (not fall) into shalom with Him.
After seeing the white dove, I knew I needed to be more present in my time with God everyday. Along with this, I needed to be intentional in speaking truth, life, love and shalom over our home and those within it. The boys and I had recently seen a movie entitled David, which is a kid friendly take on the warrior king who lived a steadfast life for the Lord. It’s an amazing movie, but the part that struck me most was not the scene with Goliath, but actually when David sings a song for King Saul. Below are some of the lyrics that brought tears (yes more tears) to my eyes:
When I feel lost
And so afraid
And shadows have hid the sun away
When my heart is heavy
And it's hard to pray
I remember what my mother used to say
Shalom
Shalom
Peace be with you wherever you go
Shalom
Shalom
Let this melody begin to bring you home
So I began singing these words, with no expectation of what would come of it. I did have a quiet hope that the words would remind me to receive the shalom Jesus had paid a high price to give me. While cooking, cleaning, walking and living throughout each day, I began singing the chorus. Over and over again, not loud but softly. It has helped me remember, but it has also planted seeds. For now I am not the only one who sings these words within our home. My sons, and even my husband, have begun singing these same lines at unexpected moments of the day…and I rejoice inside when I hear them. Shalom is spreading as God is being welcomed in.
The righteous covering that is shalom comes when we recieve what Jesus has been wanting to give. But we must receive, and receiving happens when we seek. And seeking, really seeking, happens when we recognize what’s missing inside us. From the very beginning, we were meant to walk with God and be in close relationship with Him.
May we choose to seek, may we choose to receive, may we choose to live out the shalom we were always intended to carry inside ourselves. In doing so, may we feel the gentle whispers from our heavenly home…flowing into our homes today.
