Shalom

I spent a lovely hour talking to a friend on the phone this morning. It is so interesting when you spend an hour on the phone how many subjects you can touch on. One of the subjects was the meaning of the word shalom. Most people when they hear the word shalom think of it as meaning peace. But when you start to study the word you find that it can mean so much more.

If we just do a simple search we will find the Strong's entry...

1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

a) completeness (in number)

b) safety, soundness (in body)

c) welfare, health, prosperity

d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

e) peace, friendship

1) of human relationships

2) with God especially in covenant relationship

f) peace (from war)

g) peace (as adjective)

So, we see that the word shalom has many different shades of meaning.Shalom could refer to health or to quiet and tranquility. When I think of shalom I think of completeness, wholeness and balance. So that peace can mean that we are in a place of wholeness where we are in completeness whether that is in our bodies, our friendships, or our relationship with our God.

For me to live a balanced life means that I am seeking to be walking in harmony with my Creator. In any given circumstance I must be making choices that place me either in my will or the Divine One's will. Those seem to me to be the two things that drive human beings. It is always a matter of choice, choosing to live my life according to my self will or to live my life according to my God's will.

When I realize that it is all a matter of choice, I also see that it is a matter of control. So, when I choose to live in the moment, I am choosing to attempt to allow my life to be under the control of the One who created me. In order to do that I need to be at peace with my choices, I need to be choosing to live out the meanings of shalom-completeness, wholeness, soundness in mind, body, and spirit. In covenant relationship with my Creator and with those my Creator leads into my life. So, I choose today to walk in peace.

Amazing what a conversation with a friend can make you think about! I find peace and tranquility in my daily meditations, in my friendships, in my talks with my Creator. I find balance and wholeness in the same places. What an amazing blessed day when I can share with a friend. Now that truly is shalom for me.

Peace and Blessings,

EB