Jehovah-Shalom

In Judges 6:24, we find the first reference to Jehovah-Shalom:  "So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace."

Israel had lost their peace by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.  So He gave them over to their enemy for seven years.  When His time was right, He sent an angel to to Gideon, calling him to be a mighty warrior for Israel.  He said to Gideon,  "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

Gideon's response was, oh yeah?  If that's true, why is all this bad stuff happening to us?

Isn't it interesting that we often find no correlation between our actions and our consequences?  We act as if God should protect us from everything, even from our own undoing.  And to a certain extent, He does.  Because no matter what mistake or sin, we can still accept His forgiveness and have everlasting life.

But the truth is that God DOES allow us to struggle, to wallow in the bed we made, so to speak.  And that is right where Israel was in the time of Gideon.  God called Gideon to use his own strength to deliver His people.  And when Gideon was afraid, God said this:

"Peace!"


So Gideon builds the altar as a tribute to the God of Peace.


Let me ask you this:  Is your life an altar?  Are you laying it all out before God, the good, the bad, and the ugly?  Or are you trying to cover things up, trying to hide from Him? 


Sometimes we are so afraid of who we really are inside, afraid God won't love us, afraid He can't forgive us, afraid He doesn't really know us.  But He does, remember?  He made us, He made you to be exactly who you are. 


So when you are struggling, with fears either real or imagined, pray for peace.  The One who IS Peace has more than enough to give you.  Peace doesn't mean there are no problems.  Peace means calm in the storm.  Peace is the way to peace! 


Someone said, "There is no way to peace.  Peace is the way."  So focus on Peace, the Person.  And you'll find peace on your way.