I typed this blog on 7/25/10.
As in, before I came to Israel...before i left to come here.
This blog talks about my definition of Shalom. Ironically, over and over and over again since I have come here to Israel, I have been running into this very idea face to face...all of the time.
I need people to read this....because it fits in with something I will be saying really soon about what God has been doing in my life in the past two weeks.
-James
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Shalom.
This blog is titled shalom.
It is called shalom for a reason.
In my mind,it is probably one of the most amazing terms the human mind can conceptualize.It is one of the only words I know that can be used as in every part of speech...verb, noun, adjective, etc. It is one of the most meaningful and misunderstood terms in the human languages.
You can look it up in a Hebrew dictionary and you will find a variety of meanings. Shalom is often times defined as "peace" or "Complete" in English.
Judaism and other cultures around the world have different meanings for it, but all point to some form of "Peace".
While this is true,
I for one, do not believe that the word "Peace" entirely is correct in defining the word "Shalom".
While I am no Hebrew scholar, I do believe that "Peace" is a shallow definition for "Shalom".
Someone I know defines it as this:
Shalom is much more than peace. Shalom is life lived as God meant it to be lived.
When I first heard this, I thought, cool.
But then, over the years, I have really started to think about that definition:
"Life lived as Adonai intended."
And the word has exploded for me.
I asked myself: What is life lived as Adonai intended?
The answer: Eden.
God created humanity and all of creation to of lived in His presence and under His gaze in the garden of Eden.
Well ,we messed that up pretty well.
But that is why the word Shalom is so beautiful.
Shalom is more than peace. I believe Shalom is another word for Heaven.
Shalom is another word for Eden.
Shalom is life as it was meant to be lived.
You can read over and over and over and over and over again about how God is a God of rest. I don't want to type it all up on here, but how many times throughout the Bible does God give people rest?
Exodus 16:23- Why is it that one of the very first things God commands the Israelites when they leave Egypt is to rest?
Because for 400 years they were slaves and did not rest.
Exodus 5:5- God tells Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the people go. Look at Pharaohs response.
Look at the first consequences of sin in Genesis 3. Adam and Even disobey God and what does He take from them? Rest. Their food will not come from the blessings of God, but rather by the sweat of their brow.
Look at Jeremiah 6:16.
Or how about:
Mathew 11:18
Mathew 11:29
Mark 6:31
Or, look at the main result of the people who take "the mark of the Beast":
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."
(Revelation 14:11)
I could on on and on.
I have come to the conclusion that I believe the idea of rest is the trademark and seal of God.
But not "rest" defined in the sense of peace or relaxation. But rest in the sense of complete sovereignty and satisfaction in God.
I believe this whole idea of rest verses worry or turmoil explains the very purpose of the Church. It explains why we should tithe. It explains why we as believers in God are to do what He has commanded us to do....because we have nothing to worry about because we rest in Adonai.
See, God wants us to do nothing but rely on Him 1000000% of the time.
And I don't mean rely on God but then continue to take our matters into our own hands...than still continue to worry about the matters of this world in the same manner as a pagan friend next door.
Where the heck is God in all of that?
I don't want to name names, but I know way to many people in the Church, who are the busiest, most-stressed, most-worrisome people I know.
I don't believe for a moment that this is the type of life God intended us to live
I don't believe for a moment that this is Shalom.
I just gave a bunch of verses that basically show that Rest=God, Work/Worry/Turmoil= Opposite of God.
So shouldn't the people of God be the most OK-with-life situations type people on earth? Rather than running to the doctor every time we get a headache? Or freaking out every time our paychecks do not match our budget?
You can grow your grain all you want but in the end it is God who makes it grow...not your fertilizers....so who really cares what YOU do?
Now, I am not supporting laziness.
I am rather talking about Motive.
If your motive for what you do is to keep you alive and because you feel you have to do or act these ways have in order to survive, then that is not relying on God for your life.
However, if your motive for doing the things you do is done as a result of your satisfaction in whatever happens in life simply because you love God...then you have found Shalom.
Here all summer i have worried and worried over moving to Israel.
Now, it is the countdown to the last 4 weeks or so before I leave....
and everything has been falling into place.
However, I freaked out and went out and got a private loan.
I finally just bought my airline tickets (yay!)
and then I get a call from my pastor stating that some anonymous person wished to match any donations i receive for my trip.(If you want information on donating to help with living expenses in Israel click here)
I also have been wanting to buy a video camera so I can make video blogs while in Israel...
my biological father gave me a camera last week.
And I realized:
I KNOW I am called to go to Israel this year. I know it is what God wants me to do.
So why did I ever doubt that he would make it possible for me to go?
If I am suppose to go, then God will make it happen and there is nothing I can or can't do to change that.
And He is making it happen.
And instead of being able to experience Shalom all summer under the gaze of my creator....I worried my head off and made some stupid mistakes.
But now I see the greatness of God. Everything I have done to prepare for this trip has left me in a mess....but God makes it all good.
Now I just need my visa....we will see what happens.
Shalom.
(Jeremiah 6:16)
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