One of the most beautiful things to come out of the year 2020 was the song The Blessing released by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes. People all around the world seemed to hunger for the message in its lyrics. What many did not know is that it was based on holy scripture, some of the words taken directly from Numbers 6:23-26.

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’”

This is the blessing that God gave to Aaron, the priest, to speak over His people and it centers on the giving of shalom to them.

The context of this blessing for peace is ironic, because God is telling Aaron to bless His people with peace while they are getting ready to go into battle, conquering the Canaanites to settle in the promised land.   If peace simply meant “the absence of war” then this doesn’t make sense as it was given on the eve of war.

What God is referring to is an inner peace and completeness brought about by sharing in His favor, His relationship, His protection.

Our world today seems to be in a hurry and lacking any real sense of peace. Whether it’s cars honking because you didn’t accelerate fast enough when the traffic light turns green, or deadlines at work that appear impossible to meet, true rest feels like something only very lucky people get to experience, and then only in small doses.

It might be the pressure of trying to make enough money to keep the bill collectors from sending you to collections or too many commitments you’re trying to fulfill and wondering who you will disappoint this week.

Your relationships might seem strained and you are fearful that they will finally unravel because you don’t hold the same values, and don’t know how to talk about it. You sense conflict is just around the next bend in the road

There are literally thousands of reasons why peace seems a million miles away and feels like an impossible state of mind to achieve.

Shalom: God's Brand of Peace

So what can we learn about what God calls peace?  Knowing how He describes true peace may shift our thinking about how to step into true peace.

The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom”

It is much more personal and has a much deeper meaning than the simple description that “peace is the absence of war.”

Biblical Shalom (peace) is a reference to inner completeness and tranquility. It indicates a wholeness of mind, body and spirit. It also encompasses good health and prosperity.

In Israel today, when you greet someone or say goodbye, you say, “Shalom” – and so you are literally saying, “may you be full of well-being” or “may health and prosperity be upon you.”   In a way, it is a blessing for coming and going.

This is how the Apostle Paul, a Jewish Rabbi ends his second letter to the Thessalonians:

“Now may the Lord of peace, himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”   - Thessalonians 3:16       

Paul is wrapping up his letter, and at the same time teaching those in a Greek culture the Hebrew understanding of peace.

In modern Hebrew, a related greeting is “ma shlom’kha” which means “how are you?” But, do you notice the word shalom in the phrase? Literally the question is “what is your completeness? How is your peace?”

Jesus says, Peace be to you (shalom lehkhem) when he first sees the disciples after he rises from the dead in Luke 24. The disciples would have heard: “How are you guys? You need some inner peace!” After the stress, grief and anxiety around the brutal death of their Rabbi Jesus, they were undoubtedly in need of the Shalom, peace of God.

Jesus had told his disciples just one week prior that He would give them peace that the world can’t provide (John 14:27).  

Stepping Into True Peace (Shalom)

Jesus provides peace for His people in the midst of chaos, in the midst of the world’s pressures, in the busiest days and seasons of our lives.

He offers to us an inner peace and wholeness that comes with living in relationship with Him, in His favor, and under His protection.

And He doesn’t wait for us to take a vacation day to give it to us.

So, how do we access this kind of rest for our souls, and peace in the midst of storms? Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV) says,

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

When we develop a lifestyle of making the Lord our refuge, we begin to live in the (shalom) peace of God.

• This means instead of working harder, striving more, getting up earlier, staying up later – we learn to rest in the rhythm of sabbath (resting one whole day of every week).
• It embraces prayer as a continual steadying influence as we are surrendering things we can’t control to God, asking for His perspective, all throughout our day.
• It includes setting our minds on things above and using music that brings us back to seeing our God for who He is, rehearsing Bible verses that remind us of His sovereignty and control over all things.
• It is found when we discover God’s beauty and power all around us and enter into thanksgiving for what we see. It is as simple as lingering for an extra 10 seconds looking at the colorful leaves falling from the trees or stopping to inspect the patterns of ice and frost on your windshield. It may be stopping to admire a beautiful piece of art or a sunset. It is recognizing the smallest of blessings are the richness of God graciously shared with us.  
• Our peace overflows when we imitate the generosity of our Father. C.S. Lewis wrote,

      “There is no excess of goodness. You cannot go too far in the right direction.”

When we trust that God will provide for us, and rest in that faith of His provision – we joyfully give to others, and in that act of giving, peace is the byproduct.

• Isolation will destroy our sense of peace. While solitude (meaningful reflective time with God) brings peace, social isolation will erode shalom. Mother Teresa said,

      “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

There is a sharing of shalom when we are in committed relationship and fellowship with other Jesus followers. We were created to do life and gain perspective in community. We were not created to walk alone. When we experience the depth of belonging, peace bubbles up in our soul.

Shalom peace doesn’t mean we will be a in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means that you can be in the midst of those things, and still be calm in your heart.

I believe that

“Your peace in this season, will determine your pace in this season.”

The hurry in your life is a direct extension of the peace that you carry in your heart. If you are feeling rushed on the outside, it’s a reflection of a lack of shalom in your heart.

So, in this busy season, where you will be tempted to do more than you have done before, to overextend and say yes to every request, to be someone other than yourself, let’s run into the refuge of the Most High God, remembering that true peace is inner completeness and wholeness that only Jesus can give.

There is a well-worn path that I am taking back to Jesus when things are overwhelming. It is a place where I close my eyes, take a deep breath, ask Jesus for His shalom, for his perspective, and remember that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13).

I look forward to seeing you next Sunday at our Worship Service in the Dome at 10:00 a.m.

You can also live stream our service on Facebook and YouTube at 10:00 a.m.

If you missed last Sunday's message, "The Big Picture #13- Revelation & Apocalyptic Literature" click here.

I leave you with an invitation to sit back and breathe in the message of this song, The Blessing, that I referenced at the beginning of this blog.