Shalom / Peace
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
"For many of us, we understand peace to be the absence of conflict. We talk about peace in the home or the world or giving peace a chance. But the Hebraic understanding of Shalom is far more than just the absence of conflict. Shalom is the presence of the goodness of God. It's the presence of wholeness, completeness. . .
"For Jesus, being saved or reconciled to God involves far more than just the saving of your physical body or your soul. . .it involves all of you.
"God's desire is for us to live in harmony with him--body, soul, spirit, mind, emotions -- every inch of our being."
(Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell, page 107)
I've been reading Velvet Elvis this week and thought I'd share the above tidbit. The whole book is loaded with personal "aha" moments, and mind-tingling insights into the word of God and life as a Christian. It's a timely read. This book feels like a God-given stone to help mark my path, to find a way out of this circular wilderness I've been walking.
I have such a hunger for wholeness. . . peace. I'm finally letting go of my perceived need for an external "fix," and I'm willing to deal with my anger, envy, and need to control. I'm not sure what happened, but I feel released in some way. Not "cured" from my inner-yuck -- I'm sure I have a lot of soul-work to do--but released: able to see and receive the goodness of God again, finally celebrating a sense of harmony between myself, creation, others. (All this in the midst of terrible PMS, so it must be of God!)
I'll share more from Velvet Elvis soon! Has anyone else read it? Let me know your favorite parts!
Psalm 84:10 "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
"For Jesus, being saved or reconciled to God involves far more than just the saving of your physical body or your soul. . .it involves all of you.
"God's desire is for us to live in harmony with him--body, soul, spirit, mind, emotions -- every inch of our being."
(Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell, page 107)
I've been reading Velvet Elvis this week and thought I'd share the above tidbit. The whole book is loaded with personal "aha" moments, and mind-tingling insights into the word of God and life as a Christian. It's a timely read. This book feels like a God-given stone to help mark my path, to find a way out of this circular wilderness I've been walking.
I have such a hunger for wholeness. . . peace. I'm finally letting go of my perceived need for an external "fix," and I'm willing to deal with my anger, envy, and need to control. I'm not sure what happened, but I feel released in some way. Not "cured" from my inner-yuck -- I'm sure I have a lot of soul-work to do--but released: able to see and receive the goodness of God again, finally celebrating a sense of harmony between myself, creation, others. (All this in the midst of terrible PMS, so it must be of God!)
I'll share more from Velvet Elvis soon! Has anyone else read it? Let me know your favorite parts!
Psalm 84:10 "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
