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Shalom

“The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.” 

—Cornelius Plantinga, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way

What is shalom? It’s a Hebrew word that means peace, but it also means so much more than peace. Shalom is the way things are supposed to be. It’s not just the absence of conflict and stress. It’s the presence of God’s reign and rule here on Earth as it is in heaven. Shalom is the way things were, and it is the way things will be again someday. 

But today, we find ourselves in the in-between. We’re between the resurrection of Jesus and the restoration of the world. The story of the Bible is a story that started with a good and loving God creating everything and calling it good. Everything was in a state of goodness and order, a state of shalom. And the story of the Bible is a story that ends with that good and loving God once again bringing shalom to chaos and making all things new. 

The biblical story reaches its climax in the person of Jesus. It’s a story into which all of us have been invited. A story of partnering with the God of heaven and earth in His redemptive plans to bring shalom to a chaotic world. 

You have been called by God to bring shalom. 

In this Bible Plan, we’ll discover together what it looks like for us to answer that call and play our part in bringing shalom.