Shalom to You
When our youngest daughter, Alicia was 2 years, 2 months old she started to run a dangerously high fever. Within a day she was hospitalized for what turned out to be a very rare blood disease. Our closest family, my parents, lived 2 ½ hours away and were preparing to leave the “north country” for warmer weather. We only had one car at the time, and I was home with our other two children, ages 3 and 5. My mother, who had been quite ill with heart disease, wanted to come and help out before they headed South. Our pattern was that Chuck would go to the hospital before and after work, and then he would trade places with me so that I could go up to the hospital every evening and early night, returning to go to bed at home. Within a few days my dad dropped my mother off to help so that I could spend more time at the hospital. My dad continued on another 2 hours away to see his mother for her birthday.
Within two days my mother was suddenly not well and in the dark of the evening, in the middle of a blizzard, I watched as the ambulance crew carefully loaded my mother into the ambulance to take her to the same hospital. Chuck was at the hospital spending time with Alicia. I vividly remember calling Chuck and asking him to go down to admittance in the emergency area so that he could help answer any questions needed. Mom was admitted to the 6th floor for congestive heart failure, and Alicia was on the pediatric ward. No extra car, few friends to call upon for childcare on days that the car situation could be rearranged, a raging blizzard, and no possibility for my dad to return. Both my youngest child and my mom were in the same hospital. This saga continued for 19 days for Alicia and a month for my mom along with blizzards that hit our area every week for a month that year. I remember looking out the window through the snowy storm watching the ambulance leave our home. My heart was akin to that of Job 3:26 “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet (at peace); I have no rest, but trouble comes.”
I had a choice to make, I could fall apart, or I could continue our normal nighttime routine. The Lord granted me clarity and strength that could have only come from Him. I dressed Chris and Heather into their pajamas and together we read our nighttime stories. Each was then tucked into bed, and upon Chuck’s return from the hospital, I again took my late evening turn to visit 2 family members at the hospital each evening.
Peace. I confide that this precious “gift,” felt far from my heart and soul that day, that week, that month.
The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. Using scripture to define the word, peace is a quietness of mind, rest, or lack of turmoil. Peace is at least momentarily allusive to most of us on any given day. Jobs in the home or outside of the home add to the stresses of the hours and days. Add Covid to the mix and we have parents working from home and helping their children with online schooling. During this timeframe many of us have learned new skills to make online learning and working jobs of all sorts become not just an avenue of access, but a new work experience that was productive, innovative, and stimulating. Health issues definitely add to the stress level of everyday living. Mothers with young children at home, while grateful to stay home with their littles, also begin to feel that their days will never end. The same tasks are always at hand, nurturing little ones with strong emotions and learning how to navigate this world. Working or stay at home moms deal with strong personalities who make the task of simply leaving the house one that, along with other stressors of the day, can make one snap, throw the loved stuffy, or grab the unwanted coat in an attempt to “put” the uncooperative little into the car to move on to an appointment or get to work. At any age, screams can ensue, tears flow, words fly – before a day has hardly begun, the stress cup has already exploded and overflowed.
Our single friends are not immune to the stressors of this life. Loneliness has been a difficult issue throughout the Covid lockdowns. Regardless of the cause of anxiety, the question remains: How do we bring ourselves back to the inner calmness of peace? Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:9. “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.“
According to Blue Letter Bible, God’s word speaks of peace 252 times in 231 verses in the NIV translation. The word peace occurs 367 times in 340 verses in the ESV. In addition, the ESV sometimes used the word rest in place of the word peace. Whenever a topic is mentioned or taught that many times, we should definitely take notice. What can we learn and take to heart on this much needed theme?
There are many instances when the word peace is used throughout scripture as an absence of war, a time of security and prospering of the Israelites. But not every reference is about a political peace.
Psalm 4:8 involves both safety and an inner peace which allows rest. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 29:11 demonstrates the blessing of peace. “May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!”
For most of us it is the inner turmoil that makes our blood pressure rise. However, Proverbs 14:30 provides wisdom for one way to remove that inner conflict. We have to let things go. We need to be satisfied with what we have been given and where we are placed. “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”
Galatians 5:22 & 23 tell us that peace is a fruit of the spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Several of these key components that add to inner peace are again mentioned in Psalm 85:10, “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” These “fruits of the Spirit” are found in those who practice an attitude of gratitude. And the opposite is true when we allow our own tempers to get in the way. We are warned in both Ephesians 6:4 “Father, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Col 3:21 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (I will add that these are words of wisdom for mothers and other caregivers as well.)
Sadly, sometimes the “eruptions” are our own doing. We bring the stresses of the day and add it to the already fragile family dynamics. Sometimes our inability to hold it together sets off the perfect storm of misunderstanding, hurt feelings, and feelings of not being listened to. Hebrews 12:14 encourages believers. “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Can others see the Lord through us and our actions? Do we have a heart of humility, a heart that nurtures the fruits of the Spirit? Do we ask for the Lord to control our hearts and our tongue?
Most of you know that Chuck and I suddenly needed to leave Portugal to come and help “minister” in New Mexico because of the very severe health needs of our son and his family, and the emotional needs of my sister (a paramedic of 40 years) who is suffering from PTSD. With loved ones in crisis, I have prayed for peace over these precious families. I have asked other family members and friends to join me with prayers of peace as well. I pray that the Lord will guide me to de-escalate situations with a quiet voice or a whisper. One such prayer comes from scripture: 2 Thes 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
When was the last time that you prayed peace over your situation, your family, your loved ones? Please join me as together we pray for God’s peace, praying God’s Word over each other. May we have eager expectations to see the fruits of the Spirit that will develop as we wait upon Him for strength and wisdom for each and every situation.
Dear Father, We come to you desiring the peace that comes only from you. In Proverbs 29:17 you tell us to discipline our children that they will give us peace, they will bring us the delights that we desire. In Isaiah, you remind us that “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Help us to trust in you as you work in our hearts and minds. Thank you for the reminder of your covenant love in Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” Lord, we pray for physical healing and emotional healing, but most of all for your blanket of peace to cover our hearts and souls in whatever situations we are facing. We thank you now for the joy that we read of when you provide that peace. Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” We praise you with joyful hands and feet for the peace that only you can provide. In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Shalom to you,
Linda
Update on our son: Chris “graduated” from wound care on April 14th and from the 6 weeks of hyperbaric treatments Friday, April 23rd. We praise God that the soft tissue is healed. He and my husband Chuck were able to pack the car and move back home to New Mexico on Friday after the last treatment. The family is finally back together as Chris continues to heal. He had an MRI the morning of April 23rd. The results came back giving much needed information that the osteomyelitis (infection of the bone) is still evident. This new baseline will help his infectious disease and family practice doctors to carefully monitor healing progress. At this point the plan is that he will continue on antibiotics for 1 year to continue to fight the infection that is still in his bones. His health care now moves from the specialists in Texas to his family doctor in New Mexico. We are so thankful that this episode of wound care has come to an end. Chris has been allowed to go back to work on a limited basis and with job limitations. We will appreciate continued prayers for his total healing.
Update on my sister, Jan: Her doctor was able to set up an appointment with a specialist who deals with the type of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that she has been suffering with. (Pray for those who work with tragedies as part of their daily jobs. The horrors that they experience over the years affect the psyche and are what eventually cause this type of PTSD). The specialist is in Amarillo, Texas where Chris was undergoing treatment. Therefore I was able to take Jan to Amarillo for her appointments on dates that I too needed to be there. We have enjoyed sweet “sister” time which has been a rare treat. We will appreciate continued prayers for both Chris and for Jan. We will finish out our next 2 weeks here working on projects around the home and then will take off to go celebrate Mother’s Day with Chuck’s mom in Oregon who just turned 101. We praise God for healing, for family being reunited, and for travel mercies.