“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT).
Although Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonians in Greek, as a Jewish background believer he almost certainly had the Hebrew word, “shalom,” in mind when he offered this benediction of peace. Shalom is more than a cessation of hostility. It is a deep and abiding state of rest and a sense that all things are well and that all things will be well.
It is the “Lord of Peace” who gives us this peace. For in Christ we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). After His reconciling peace makes us right in our vertical relationship with God, it works inward to give us peace in our minds and hearts and then outward to work peace into our horizontal relationships with others. The Lord Jesus Himself is our shalom, our peace. When we abide in Christ, we have shalom in our souls.
Are you going through a time or situation that causes anxiety? Pray. Turn your worries into prayers and let the peace of Christ flood your soul. As we read in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we lift our worries up to You. For You alone are able to give us true peace. Even though we still face trials and troubles in this world, we know that all things will be well. For You are our God. You are our peace. Strengthen us to serve You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.