Annie
Scriptures:
John 14:27
Colossians 1:19-20
Philippians 4:4-7, 12-13
Ephesians 2:11-22
Numbers 6:24-26
Luke 15:11-32
As He was spending His last evening with His disciples, Jesus makes them and us a wonderful promise. He promises to leave His Peace, His Shalom with us. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27)
The word Shalom is mostly translated as “Peace” yet the idea that this peace originates in multiple forms is not often considered. In Hebrew the meaning of words conveys feelings, intent and emotions. Shalom encompasses complete peace, wholeness, completeness, contentment, well-being and harmony. It speaks of our Father God’s intent for our lives and Jesus made it clear that His Shalom was different from all others.
We read that God is reconciling all things to himself through Christ, that those who believe the gospel enter into and experience this reconciliation, this completeness, this Shalom. As we begin to understand that within us we carry the Life of Christ that is always and ever the fullness of God Himself, we are able, by faith, to know the peace that passes all our understanding. Christ shattered the barrier between us and God, He paid the debt so that this reconciliation can be accomplished, our peace restored.
This peace never fluctuates with our circumstances or troubles, through the reconciliation that Christ bought we are justified and accepted, this Shalom is forever ours. We are clothed in God’s Armour and filled with His Peace within us. The depth of this peace enables us to be content in any circumstance, to be filled with a joy that exemplifies God’s Peace and reconciliation in how we live in this world.
I love the Aaronic blessing, my soul lifts as I hear the words, spoken or sung, and I see the same picture in my mind of our Abba Father smiling upon us as He turns His face toward us. A smile of a parent recognising, acknowledging and loving His child. This blessing was spoken over Israel offering them Shalom, the Peace of God. In the ensuing years they fought so many battles, so many wars, yet this blessing, this Shalom, remained theirs no matter what they were facing. Now this blessing affirms for us thousands of years later, that God is reconciling us back to Himself, and offering us Himself, our Peace, in the midst of our battles.
In reconciling us back to Himself, God, through Jesus, opens the way for us to be reconciled, to live in peace with our fellow human beings. Every resource we need is in the peace that Jesus promised would be ours, so that we are able to live in unity and love with others. We need to be reconciled with God so that the forgiveness and patience that comes with His peace, will flow through us, in an overflowing tide of His love.
When that barrier between us and God was shattered by the death and resurrection of Jesus our Saviour, our redemption, our salvation, our reconciliation was bought and paid for. Yet we are human, the process of our sanctification is continuous. We trip, we fail and we even doubt that we are indeed reconciled to God at all. That is a lie, spawned by the father of lies who knows he has already been defeated. Through the amazing Grace that came by Jesus and is given freely to us, we are able to reject that lie and run back into the loving arms of our Abba Father.
Prayer: Father, by Your Grace we remind ourselves that we belong in the family of God, we are Your precious adopted children, reconciled to You, blessed by You, filled with Your peace, Your Shalom. Amen