May 10 Devotion - Peace be with you

After Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the grave He came to his disciples who were hiding:

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

وَلَمَّا حَلَّ مَسَاءُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ، وَهُوَ الْيَوْمُ الأَوَّلُ مِنَ الأُسْبُوعِ، كَانَ التَّلاَمِيذُ مُجْتَمِعِينَ فِي بَيْتٍ أَغْلَقُوا أَبْوَابَهُ خَوْفاً مِنَ الْيَهُودِ، وَإِذَا يَسُوعُ يَحْضُرُ وَسْطَهُمْ قَائِلاً: «سَلاَمٌ لَكُمْ!»

 John 20:19

In general there are so many words we take for granted and think we understand, yet we don’t, and each one of us understands it in a different way and we communicate with each other thinking the other person understands it the same way, and so does he/she, yet we really do not understand each other fully.

                                                                                  

I looked up the world definition and the Biblical definition of peace. What did Jesus mean when he told His disciples “Peace be with you”?

In English, the word "peace" depicts a passive picture, one showing an absence of disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife.

The Biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means "to be complete" or "to be sound." The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning" to be complete or whole" or "to live well." Salom was used in both greetings and farewells. It was meant to act as a blessing on the one to whom it was spoken: "May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory." As an adjective, it expressed completeness and safety.

God alone is the source of peace, for he is "Yahweh Shalom" (see Judges 6:24 ). The Lord came to sinful humankind, historically first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, desiring to enter into a relationship with them. He established with them a covenant of peace, which was sealed with his presence (see Num 6:24-26 ). Participants were given perfect peace (salom salom) so long as they maintained a right relationship with the Lord (see Isa 26:3; 2 Thess 3:16).

Adapted from: Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

Did you ever find yourself not at peace with God?

Lasting peace cannot be attained through our own efforts, but rather through Christ in us. The peace that comes from Him is eternal. Our bond with Him is the foundation upon which real peace is built.

In order to experience the peace of God we need first to be at peace with God.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and inseparable and everlasting deep love. Lord, I want to experience Your true peace. I ask You God to expose anything that may be preventing me from being at peace with You and heal it so that I can receive the true and everlasting peace that only You can give. Thank You Lord that through the atoning blood of Jesus You have made me without spot and blameless in Your eyes. Father I rejoice in Your faithfulness. I pray in Jesus’ mighty name, to Him be the glory, before the beginning of time, now and forever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein