Following Jesus: Peace - Life as God Intended

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:7

The ancient Hebrew word for peace is shalom. And what a terrific word it is! Shalom doesn’t just mean the absence of tense conflict. It means completeness, soundness, security, and well-being. In a real sense, shalom is life the way God intended it to be.

The gospel says this: Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), came to reconcile sinners to God. He lived a perfect life and died a terrible death (in our place) so that we might have “peace with God” (Romans 5:1), and so that we might enjoy the “peace of God” (Philippians 4:7). From the new life and ultimate shalom he offers, Jesus wants his followers to live as peacemakers in the world: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Take a minute to think about your life and your relationships. Where is the peace of God needed?

Reflection Question
What steps could you take to restore peace to a tense relationship?

Prayer
Prince of Peace, may your Spirit give me a new passion to be a peacemaker in this fractured world. Amen.

This blog post has been adapted from my book Following Jesus Daily Devotional. You can learn more about it here.