SHALOM, my friends, SHALOM. This morning, I asked the Father what He wanted to say to His people. He breathed SHALOM over me and I felt it cover me and fill me. I was overwhelmed with a sense of God’s presence that I don't ever want to leave. How amazing that I can live and move and be fully present with the Almighty God and experience a peace that is indescribable while all the world is in panic.
I paused again, and asked the Father, “Is there more?”
And He said to me, “I want you to offer this SHALOM to everyone you meet.”
And I thought to myself, “Of course, who would not want this? Who would not want perfect peace in the midst of a storm?”
Peace is the most common translation of the Hebrew word, SHALOM. While peace is certainly a part of the meaning, SHALOM is a much deeper, more complex word. It is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful words in the Hebrew language, full of meaning beyond any simple translation and powerful beyond measure when we fully understand it.
Beyond peace, SHALOM also means health, healing, wholeness, unity, provision, protection, prosperity and tranquility. Who would not want a perfect measure of these things in their life today?
Imagine having health in every aspect of your life, healthy living, healthy thinking, healthy physicality. His SHALOM protects us from that which is unhealthy and keeps us centered Him. It includes physical health, but it goes much further, touching our hearts and minds, not just our bodies.
Where do you need healing? The SHALOM of YEHOVAH brings us healing. Our God is a God who heals. It is in His nature to do so. He hurts when we are sick, and He loves to heal His children.
Wouldn’t wholeness bring meaning to the unfulfilled desires of your heart? Imagine having a whole heart, all the hidden places brought to light; all of the broken, shattered places of your heart restored to wholeness, giving you a full heart.
Consider the impact of living together in unity. How much time do we spend in conflict with others when we could seek God and in seeking Him come to beautiful unity? And in unity we find a blessing from God. It is truly beautiful, the best and none better.
Whenever God covers His people with SHALOM there is both provision and protection, removing the stress and worry about what tomorrow might bring, taking away the fear of some ominous plague or attack of terror.
Prosperity in riches is not the promise of God, but He has always blessed His children to prosper in whatever situation they find themselves. He gives them favor and a path forward, a way out. This is the SHALOM of God.
Everything around us can be crumbling and shattering, yet the SHALOM of God brings us perfect tranquility. He gives us peace when there should be no peace. Covered by the SHALOM of God, we remain calm during any storm.
SHALOM carries the idea of flourishing when all else around us is failing. It screams of thriving when we feel like surviving is the only thing we have left. It shouts of life abundant, when we have gone to resignation and see nothing but scarcity all around us.
SHALOM is far more than peace, it is the covering of God that provides us with everything that He has designed for fullness of life. He is a God of abundance and longs to pour out blessing on us, blessing after blessing.
"All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God…”
- Deuteronomy 28:2
And so today, let me bless you with the SHALOM of God. Receive it and it is yours. Bow before the King of Kings and find life overflowing. Surrender to Him, follow Him and your path will be lined with SHALOM.
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you SHALOM.”
- Numbers 6:24-26