May peace be with you! In John chapter 20, Jesus spoke these words repeatedly. However, the English translation of "peace" falls short compared to the original Hebrew word "Shalom," Jesus referred to when using these eternal words. Shalom conveys a much deeper meaning, signifying a state of harmony with God that leads to unity with others, prosperity, health, satisfaction, soundness, wholeness, and overall well-being. As God is the ultimate source of all peace, Jesus is the Prince of Peace among those who adhere to the Christian faith who just believe.
The birth of Jesus, celebrated as Christmas, represents the arrival of peace or shalom. Jesus came to offer his peace to those who would receive it, as he had said to his followers, "My peace I give to you all" (Luke 2:14). True peace requires acknowledging and addressing what is broken, whether it is within ourselves, our relationships with others, or the world around us. Only by working towards fixing what is broken through Jesus can we hope to achieve lasting peace and wholeness in our lives.
The Bible, the apostles, and the church today claim that Jesus made peace between messed up humans and God when he died and rose from the dead. He restored the broken relationship between humans and their Creator, God, to wholeness. This restoration or reconciliation is why the apostle Paul can say Jesus himself is our peace. He was the whole, complete human that I am made to be but have failed to be, and now he gives me his life as a gift (Eph 2:14). And this means that Jesus' followers are now called to create peace through Jesus' way, truth, and life (John 14:6).
What takes away the peace of God from your reality, Christians? In other words, what might be causing you to lose your peace or Jesus? Do you have habits of worry and anxiety? Have you become too busy to seek God's peace through Jesus? Have you made compromises that have put your faith out of order? Do you use news, social media, and gossip to shape your perspective? Are you more connected to culture than to the Prince of Peace? If you answered yes to any of these questions, try changing your focus and thanking the God of Peace (Jehovah Shalom) for making Jesus the source of our peace. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, because being filled with His Spirit is being filled with peace (Galatians 5:22-23).
In our pursuit of peace, let us take a step toward reclaiming the peace that God offers. Let us focus on Jesus, the ultimate source of peace, and seek to be filled with His Spirit, for it is in His Spirit that we find true and lasting peace. Let us commit to living out the principles of peace in our daily lives as we follow the way, truth, and life Jesus laid out for us when we just believe.
Peace be with you!
Pastor Drake