Shalom Shalom
Isaiah 26:3,4
Because he trusts in You, You will keep in Shalom shalom the one whose mind is close to, dependent on, You. Trust in the LORD forever, for everlasting strength is in the LORD.
One New Man Bible
In many versions, Shalom shalom is translated as perfect peace. The Hebrew word shalom is a complex word that can’t be translated into English in a single word. Shalom means tranquility, justice, wellbeing, divine health, and sufficient food, clothing and shelter. A rabbi wrote that shalom means no good thing withheld.
Isaiah 26:3, with shalom doubled, is even stronger than that. It means everything in perfect order, even in the midst of chaos.
And God’s directions to receive Shalom shalom are clear.
Trust in God. Simple.
But not always easy.
Another word for trust is faith. The Lord’s response to my faith is to create perfect order in the midst of chaos, and to give me strength to face whatever lies ahead.
My weary, troubled heart finds courage and hope in these words. If I allow His presence to quell my racing thoughts, and lose myself in His word, God will pour His Shalom shalom over me.
But God’s thoughts and mine are not always the same. (Okay, pretty much never the same.) I imagine Shalom shalom as a soothing blanket of intense peace, and all of my problems just evaporate in His presence. That sounds great, right? And it’s partially correct. But that’s not the whole picture.
Acts 16 tells of Paul and Silas in the Philippi jail. This story gives us insight into God’s version of perfect peace in the midst of chaos.
Acts 16:25
And at midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying, they were singing hymns of praise to God, psalms, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Paul and Silas were in jail. Beaten and wounded, hungry, cold, shackled with heavy chains. But instead of grumbling or giving way to fear, they kept their minds and thoughts on the goodness of God. They sang hymns of praise, regardless of their circumstances.
The Bible tells me that God is good, that Messiah came so I can be reconciled to God. Therefore, I am accepted. Favored. Loved.
As I settle my gaze on His love, Messiah’s strength pours into me. The chaos around me – a dire medical diagnosis, juggling two jobs and family obligations, the uncertain state of our economy, the social and political unrest of our nation – loses its hold on me when I put my trust in God and focus my thoughts on His Word.
This is so much more powerful than I realized.
Read on in Acts 16:26 to see the effect of Shalom shalom.
Then suddenly there was a great earthquake so as to shake the foundations of the prison: and all the doors were opened and the bonds of all were loosed.
God could have given Paul and Silas a feeling of comfort and wellbeing until morning, when they were going to be released. Instead, God sent an earthquake.
After the earthquake, the jailer and his family heard the Good News message and became followers of Messiah. The jailer washed their wounds, set a table of celebration before them, and ended the party with his entire family being baptized. And the prisoners? They all hung around to watch. News of what happened in the Phillippi jail spread like wildfire.
Shalom shalom doesn’t just change the atmosphere. It radically alters the environment, leaving freedom, redemption, and salvation in its aftermath. The rubble left behind is now debris of the enemy. Chaos lies in ruins in the face of Shalom shalom.
As I turn my thoughts to the Creator of Shalom shalom, I find a new perspective. Trust. Hope. Courage. My heart cries out with a song of triumph. I trust in You, Most High. In You, I find strength. I will be victorious in every battle because You have already won the war. You bring order to my life and give me fresh strength each day.