Mark Burgin spoke this morning on the subject of ‘Shalom’, the Hebrew word for peace which also conveys a sense of fulness, wellbeing and contentment. God’s blessing on us brings peace (see Gen 1:27-31); His blessing on us brings peace and contentment. (Numbers 6:22-26).
God’s peace does not necesssarily mean the absence of trouble or trials. The Israelites were slaves for years before the Exodus and then during the wilderness wanderings they had to be prepared to move on at a moment’s notice. Life was not always easy for them! Even when they went into the Promised Land, there were battles and wars to win; life was far from tranquil most of the time. But ‘shalom’ does not focus on outer peace; instead, it is something which holds us steady throughout life becasue we know God is in control. This inner peace from God comes from His presence, so as we dwell in Him, we can know peace, no matter what. God is able to sustain us and speak peace over us; Jesus promised to leave us His peace and this is always available to us. (John 14:27)