Shalom, or peace, is highly sought. But what is it really? One superficial definition would be the lack of war or conflict. But shalom is more than the absence of something. Some say it is a restoration or a making right. I like the understanding that it is wholeness or inner completeness. We associate it with tranquility and wellness. When our Jewish brothers and sisters wish us shalom, they are blessing us with a desire for good health and general well-being. All of these together give us a picture of what peace should look like.
Recently I heard another interesting explanation for shalom: things as they should be. I think this encompasses all the definitions above into a vivid picture.
There was shalom before the fall of man, everything as it was created to be. There will be shalom again with the redemption and restoration of all creation. When my relationship is right with God, I have shalom. When our relationships are as they should be, there is shalom.
If there is no peace, then something is off; brokenness, sin, and we rightly work to make it right. We seek reconciliation and repair. But only God can bring true peace, true shalom, as even our best efforts are incomplete. We must rely on Him. Yet He graciously continues to use us as His Body to bring shalom wherever He is working.
Someday peace will reign; shalom will be complete. We can find glimpses now, experiencing it with Him through the Spirit. He promises us such peace even now and we can and should pursue it. And work towards building shalom, building the Kingdom, wherever we touch.
We are made for shalom. Life as it should be. As it will be. As God made it. I believe we have a built-in recognition and desire in our heart for that. I know my heart longs for it and I bet yours does too. We will find it in Him.
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
