I was reading a book this week (one of the luxuries I have right now - not working and all). It's called "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell - VERY good! Anyway he was talking about our notion of "peace," especially in light of the term "Shalom." He's explained that in the Hebrew language, words are layers with many facets of meanings. So one word, in it's context can contain a depth of meaning that might take a paragraph for us to explain. I've been thinking about that word "peace" and how we understand it as an absence of conflict.
But the Hebraic understanding of shalom is far more than that. Shalom is the presence of the goodness of God. It's the presence of wholeness and completeness.
that almost blows my mind
God puts us little light bearers - those of us that know Him AND are known by Him - into these complicated, frustrating, volitale, gut wrenching situations.
and if you're anything like me - you just want to solve it and MOVE ON!
but for all of our abilities and knowledge and good desires - we can't see a solution. we can't force a solution. all we can do is sit in the situation and pray and wait and listen and wait and be obedient and wait - until we're just so sick of waiting - that finally we admit, sometimes outloud, "I just can't do it, I don't have it in me, I can not bring peace (no conflict) to this situation." and we surrender - waving our little white flag
then God shows up. sometimes He even comes through us. but not through the things we thought it would be. no, it's usually not in our abilities or knowledge or good desires. it's in the parts that we really thought should stay hidden. in the weakness of our human soul.
and He shows himself strong. He really didn't need us to bring the peace to the situation. what He wanted was for us to be there when SHALOM arrived. and the goodness of God rains down on the entire situation - getting all over all of us - and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are all made whole and complete. not in spite of the conflict - but becuase of it!
May SHALOM enter your domain today!
1 comment:
I spent the end of this day on this very subject with someone very close to me. This person has been praying for peace in their lives with all sincerty. As you mention, their definition of peace is the absence of conflict. The problem with this definition is that peace will never come. Only the Shalom peace will satisfy! Only God's presence that surrounds us as the everything and everyone around us is chaotic. thanks for your very excellent discertation on this. One only learns this as they come through conflict with God's goodness protecting them while they are in the midst of conflict.
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