Shalom

SCRIPTURE: I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]. Philippians 1:6 AMP

THOUGHT: Because shalom is often a greeting, both ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye,’ we’ve grown to believe it has a one word meaning, ‘peace.’ That’s a nice greeting – and I wish it was our custom to bless people with peace rather than a word pretty much devoid of meaning, like “hello” or “hi.”

But Shalom is a beautiful word, packed with so much more meaning than our concept of peace. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines it as “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.” It’s even translated ‘success’: “Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you (in 1 Chronicles 12:18 NIV).

When I read about God’s commitment to complete the work that he’s begun, I think of the word shalom. First, I have peace because God keeps his promises. Second, I know I have already been given a soundness of mind and character – even while he chisels and shapes, I am already a new creation. Third, God is committed to wholeness, to mending up what has been broken and presenting us as complete. Finally, I know that God will be successful in whatever he does. Where circumstances don’t go as I expect, or my heart is unruly in following his ways, God will persist, and finish the good work started in me. I was created for shalom.

May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. The one calling you is faithful, and he will do it. (1 Thess. 5:23-24 Complete Jewish Bible)

SONG: Shalom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPvPBVKnEro

PRAYER: Oh God of all peace, bring your peace, your wholeness, your completeness, your welfare, and your success to the work you’ve started in us and in our world.