This idea of shalom has been ruminating for the past week. Its good stuff to think about. Shalom = Peace. When someone says the word peace I think of the absence of strife. But this peace is so much more. Enjoyment.
"Shalom is the human being dwelling at peace in all his or her relationships: with God, with self, with fellows, with nature...but the peace which is shalom is not entirely the absence of hostility, not merely being in right relationship. Shalom at it's highest is enjoyment in one's relationships...to dwell in shalom is to enjoy living in one's physical surroundings, to enjoy living with one's fellows, to enjoy life with oneself." - Nicholas Wolterstorff
"Shalom might best be defined as an ideal, described in poetic terms by Old Testament prophets. In shalom, peace and justice come together. But more than that, peace combines with delight and enjoyment in right relationships - with God, with self, with fellow humans and with nature. In shalom, there is peace, but not peace without justice. There is justice, but not justice without enjoyment. In shalom, as Isaiah and others imagined it, the whole creation will come together in such a way that we will delight in each other, in God and in nature itself. - Douglas J. Brouwer
But I'd like to know more. I'm just an eager beaver about this shalom.
3 comments:
you are way too wonderful to be so far away.
luckily it's so cold that the icecream isn't melting. but this is a long walk i'm taking and i wish i had someone to help me carry the sled.
I totally agree
-Robby
"You know," Paul begins, "it's funny. Two weeks ago when we talked about things we wanted or our aspirations, we would have talked about houses or boats or cars. Now that we've been on the road for a while, everything is reduced to a bowl of cereal [think: ice cream cone]." Paul develops a smile as he stands straight again."Isn't that just beautiful? Cereal. There are people in this world who are killing themseleves because they want more and more of nothing. And the only thing you and I want in this world is a bowl of cereal. That just shows you how the things we think are important really aren't important"
...
It occured to me then, and I said it to Paul, that there is something God made that is better than starlight. What is it? he asked me. It's you, man. I said. Me? he asked. You, I said, you know, friends, people, it's beautiful, really, that we don't have to be alone. I appreciate you.
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