Knowing Shalom: A Devotional Series

I have always understood shalom to mean peace. But that definition is as limited as comparing a child’s drawing of a flower to a rose in full bloom, its fragrance lingering in the air. Shalom is a way of life, one that weaves the power, grace, and truth of who God is into the very fabric of love. But, unfortunately, our interactions with peace are rare in these noisy times.

But to participate in shalom is to surrender oneself wholly to the presence of God. Such surrender can happen during a fight with a spouse or dealing with a demanding boss as well as when sitting in a patch of sun on the deck. I call it the power of Christian mindfulness.

I am dedicating this devotional series to those who have suffered trauma. I have to laugh a little as I write this, knowing that this encompasses most humans. But to pursue shalom during difficulties is to take up a sacred fight for one’s soul. And we do not fight alone, for the Prince of Shalom is with us in this pursuit.

For me, the first ingredient I must search out is stillness. Being still and knowing that God is God is the beginning of every prayer time. We must acknowledge His existence first. To do that fully, we must put ourselves aside and live in a moment of stillness. I have in my imagination a still lake, where no breeze interrupts the calm waters. I borrow it from the 23^rd Psalm, of course, but observing tranquility helps me participate in it.

I do not pretend to know the depths of despair into which others can fall. I only know my own troubled waters. But I know that when I began to search for peace with all of my being, Peace found me. So labor to enter into the wholeness, the delight, the rest, the shalom. Here is my prayer for you.

Heavenly Father,

I pray you calm the hearts of my brothers and sisters. Just as you calmed the storm, bring quiet to the tumult that threatens the peace in their hearts and minds. I pray you would bring shalom to their marriages, families, and daily lives. Bring your tranquility to the anxiety, the troubled thoughts, and the memories that come in the night. Quiet their bodies and lead them to the tranquility of your eternal presence. Bless them with a stillness they have never known before. Amen

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. Psalm 23:2

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. John 14:27

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