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A GREATER MEASURE OF SHALOM
by Dudley Anderson GodTracker 787 John 14:27 Karen and I had just cleared customs and climbed aboard our tour bus in Israel. It was a warm April afternoon in Tel Aviv. There was an air of jubilation among our travelling comrades, excited to be spending the next ten days together. We were thrilled to be traveling through the Holy Land visiting the many sites where Jesus lived and ministered. Naturally, none of us spoke any modern Hebrew. As our tour guide settled us down and welcomed us to Israel he said, “The first thing I need to tell you is, in Israel, we do not say ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’. We always greet one another with only one word, the word shalom.” I always thought that shalom meant peace. Indeed, it does. However, this word means a lot more than just peace. In English, we often have only one word to describe complex emotions. Take the word love, for instance. English has only one word for love (excluding similar words that describe the same emotion, like affection). In Greek, for example, there are four different words for love that describe four different aspects of the emotion. The same goes for the word, peace. In English peace means freedom from disturbance or tranquillity, whereas the Hebrew word shalom means so much more. According to Strong’s Dictionary shalom means, safe, happy, friendly, welfare, prosperity and… peace. God-tracking is based on the premise that God knows the plans he has for us. Our God is a benevolent and loving Father. Every father desires the best for his children. As Jesus once said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” This is the same Father God who said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you; thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” The English KJV Bible uses the word peace but the original Hebrew word is shalom. Therefore, God’s thoughts for you are for your safety, happiness, welfare, prosperity and… peace. READ ALL ABOUT IT ****************** SO, DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY
Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa Dudley Anderson began writing for radio in 1994. Dudley currently writes a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought called GodTracker and has complied 2 devotional books based on GodTracker. More information at surereaity.net Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |