Jehovah Shalom, the Lord is Peace was first mentioned when Gideon met the Lord. I sometimes identify with Gideon. The Jews used to identify the strongest of their tribes by numbers. Gideon was from the least tribe of the Jews. Even in that, he was regarded as the least in his tribe just to confirm that God uses the weak to shame the strong. The stone that was rejected became the corner stone. Although this particular stone had to be wound up, as is normally the case of the weak whose minds have been conditioned to think of themselves as such.
Israel as a nation was in the right place but was doing evil in the sight of God and for seven years, God gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press to keep it from the Midianites and the angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel said to him, “the Lord is with you mighty warrior” and Gideon was thinking to himself that the angel got the wrong address. The Lord says to Gideon “I want you to deliver my people from the hands of the Midianites. I, the Lord will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive”. Gideon replied, “if I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before You.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” Gideon goes and returns with the offering and the angel gives him instructions to place the offering on a rock. The angel then touches the offering with his staff and fire came from the rock and consumed the offering and then the angel disappeared. The bible says Gideon then realizes he was speaking to the angel of the Lord and says, “I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” Something interesting happens after this. The bible says the Lord spoke to Gideon. Wait, before this, God used an angel to deliver the message but now what was He using? Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that God used The Rock of Ages, now on fire, to speak saying to Gideon, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” So, Gideon built an altar to the Lord and called it the Lord is Peace. Jehovah Shalom.
Peace is having God’s divine presence all the time. The bible says that we are saved by Grace through Faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. So it is by faith that we believe that God’s divine presence is now living in us. Our faith is tested during these times we live in. Do we believe God’s word on the matter or are we believing what we see with our carnal minds? You see what challenges the peace in our minds is the facts we see rather than the truth we know. Knowing is different from believing. Perhaps if we win the fight of faith, we eventually have peace that surpasses human understanding. God shall keep in perfect peace those whose mind is steadfast, because they trust in Him. God promises us peace not the absence of trials. He assures us that He will be with us all the time.
Facing this big, harsh world alone takes away all the peace that I had in me but somehow companionship gives me some peace. Most of all I think having a companion who has passed through the same things I am currently passing through gives me some sort of assurance that I will too. What about going through life with the author and creator of life? The one who knows your story from the end to the beginning. Whenever we lack peace, God first assures us that He is with us and that He can be trusted with our lives. God predestined you because He foreknew you. Trusting His word that says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you”. The bible also says Let God be true and every man/ thing or otherwise a liar. We have to let God be true, a decision to trust Him in order to get this peace within us. Remember, God shall keep in perfect peace those whose mind is steadfast, because they trust in Him.
Trust God with your life today and receive peace. I know it’s not easy because as I write this, I too am fighting to keep my peace. Fighting this good fight of faith to believe that the Son truly set me free from my iniquities and now I am a new creation, and that the Holy Spirit has chosen this earthen vessel to dwell. I think this is why David asks, “who is man that you are mindful of him?” You may feel unworthy, but nonetheless Jesus died for you and today He is calling you by name. You are His. Choose today to come boldly to the Father’s throne and cry to Him for only He can give you Peace. He is Jehovah Shalom
God bless you