Shalom

 

 

The way one Jew greets another

And how some Christians do,

Neither is speaking Greek nor English

But in fact, Hebrew.

 

It is a Hebraic expression

But has made its way into English

And is becoming more and more popular

As a born-again believer’s wish.

 

Shalom, meaning God’s peace,

This day be upon you,

Not the peace that the world gives

But of a heavenly world view.

 

It’s the peace of the blessed Christ

That came down at Bethlehem

When angels announced it to shepherds

And later was received by wise men.

 

 

It’s the peace that fills the heart

Of all of the born-again,

Meaning all of both Jew and Gentile

Who dare to trust in Jesus’s name.

 

For everyone that trusts in Christ

Dares to oppose the world,

The philosophy and the policies of which

Naturally oppose God’s Word.

 

A peace that passes understanding

That the world cannot give

And a peace it can never take away

From any that in Jesus Christ live.

 

 

Peace on earth and goodwill!

These words still echo in my ear,

That such peace is needed in this world,

To me is abundantly clear.

 

We fight for peace with weapons:

Weapons of mass destruction,

For the peace that this world seeks

Is one of domination.

 

That is, the weak over the strong,

The rich dominating the poor

And when it comes to ethnic cleansing

The world’s peace is a closed door.

 

However, in stark contrast,

Is the peace of the Prince of Peace,

Jesus offers this peace to one and all

That would from their own way cease.

 

 

May the shalom peace of Jesus Christ,

Permit me to be redundant,

Rest on our war-torn world this day,

Particularly on all the repentant.

 

Shalom

 

Stewart Russell © March 10, 2025