Shalom

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Danny Coon

Shalom

Our Never-Ending Search for Peace

The United States Navy’s Aircraft Carriers are recognized as the ultimate symbols of peace throughout the world. Named after President Ronald Reagan, the motto of CVN 76 is “Peace Through Strength.” The phrase advocates that military might preserves peace. President Reagan used the term, which dates back to the Roman Empire, in his presidential campaigns. In a 1986 speech, President Reagan explained his justification to gain peace. “We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington’s words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. “To be prepared for war,” he said, “is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.”[1] Unfortunately this is a non-sustainable worldly peace.

The Lord will give strength unto his people; 
the Lord will bless his people with peace.
Psalms 29:11 KJV

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines peace as:

  1. A state of tranquility or quiet
  2. Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
  3. Harmony in personal relations
  4. A state or period of mutual concord between governments
  5. Used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting or farewell

Peace has been elusive since the beginning of humanity, since Adam and Eve’s sin against God. In fact, from that time on, our world has been engulfed in conflict. In their book, The Lessons of History (1968), Will and Ariel Durant wrote, “there have been only 268 of the past 3,421 years free of war.” In the fifty-two years since the book was published, the United States has been involved in military conflict for more than 35 of those years.

World peace is a false peace, it is temporary and full of empty promises. World peace fails to recognize the root of the problem. World peace is secular causing one to believe there is a human answer to every problem. World peace depends on emotions, it is controlling, it must be visible, and it will fail. Occasionally the world may produce a season of calmness, but it is not real peace, it is not God’s peace. The Bible tells us; “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14 NIV, and “The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace.” Isaiah 59:8 NIV. As long as there is sin the world cannot promise nor produce peace.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

We all know that life is hard, but it was never supposed to be that way. The world was perfect when God created it; life was perfect, bodies were perfect, even the weather was perfect. But that was all lost when Adam and Eve chose their path instead of God’s way. Their sin caused division, and that sin still negatively impacts our world; sin alienates, sin causes harm, sin destroys peace. Sin separates us from God, and as a result, God makes us pay for it. It is possible to have occasional peace, even world peace, but it is secular peace, not the peace of God. C.H. Spurgeon once said, “There can be no peace between you and Christ while there is peace between you and sin.”

While we may not have control over the world’s affairs, we can have peace or shalom in our lives. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and is used in greetings and farewells, meaning “peace be with you.” The concept of peace, rooted in the word “shalom,” means wholeness, completeness, soundness, health, safety and prosperity, carrying with it the implication of permanence.[2] Peace or shalom is reconciliation with God, it is peace with others, and it is peace with oneself, trusting in God will give you inner peace.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Colossians tells us that we must go through God to get reconciliation; “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:20 NIV, and that real peace is not attainable until we have been justified, acquitted by God. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 NIV.

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only reason we can live in peace. Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus the prophet Isaiah predicted the coming of the Messiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, came to this world to give the children of God restoration to broken relationships, harmony in life, and the gift of eternal life.

As sinners we are in constant battle with God, Jesus came to earth and by shedding His blood on the cross He is offering us forgiveness of sin and salvation. Thus, giving us Godly peace. “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NIV.

Therefore, being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 5:1 KJV

Jesus said’ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 NIV. In modern times this verse has been used by many in law enforcement as a slogan to show they promote peace. Many communities use the term peace officer instead of police officer, similar to the name of the United Nations peace keeping force “peacekeepers.” While the police are here to “keep the peace,” once drawn into conflict they become a participant forcing them to make peace by force. Being a peacemaker has nothing to do with law enforcement.

Jesus brought God’s perfect peace to us, so that if we believe in Him, we can have peace. He died on a cross to make peace between us sinners and God. He commands us to be makers of peace and to live in peace with others. The apostle Paul clearly states this in his letter to the Roman Church, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18 NIV. If you don’t possess peace, then you cannot keep it. Without God’s peace in our lives we cannot live at peace with others.

Biblical peace is not the same as pacifism and peacemaking is not absent of conflict. Shalom is a necessary component of living a Christian life. To get true peace you have to experience peace with God. The true peacemaker is one who reconciled with God and received God’s peace.

Becoming a peacemaker starts and ends with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. To become a peacemaker, we must keep God’s peace in our life. We must obtain peace with God through Jesus; we must become a child of God through faith in Christ. We must continually be in prayer with God asking Him to take away the sins that would steal our peace. We must become righteous with God accepting His sacrifice of peace in Jesus. “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 NIV.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
James 3:18 KJV

As Law Enforcement Professionals we took an oath to protect good and fight evil. Many have lost track of their priorities and have put the job first in their lives. If you are experiencing lower than normal sense of self-worth, depression or misplaced guilt, inability to specifically remember or talk about the trauma, feeling numb emotionally, dissociation (not aware of the present moment), a feeling of disconnection from their everyday lives, feeling hyper-aroused and vigilant for danger all the time, lashing out in irritability or unexplained anger, feeling jittery, or unable to concentrate on tasks at hand and/or other anxiety disorders, such as panic or intense distress, talk to someone and get help. Get back to the basics Put God First, Family Second and the job further down in the order.

–  IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE GET HELP NOW –

CALL COPLINE – CALL (800) 267-5463

  1. “Reagan 2020 – Ronald Reagan – Address on National Security”. http://reagan2020.us/speeches/address_on_national_security.asp Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. ↑
  2. Susan Perlman, “What Is Shalom: The True Meaning.” Jews for Jesus, accessed 09/05/2020 https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v01-n10/what-is-shalom-the-true-meaning ↑

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