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
