Advent Shalom

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall                                        Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men                    Couldn’t put Humpty together again

Humpty Dumpty, our fragmented humanity. The pieces no longer connect as they once did. We have fallen off the wall!

No power on earth could “re-member” Humpty. He stands unconnected to himself, to others, to his maker. Jesus came to put Humpty Dumpty (“us”) together again.

Advent reminds us of this. 

The Bible uses shalom in two” ways. One is the absence of conflict, enmity or war. “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest” (Isa 32:18).

To live this peace, we follow Jesus by beating our swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks. We learn to put swords back in their sheaths. We “aint gonna study war no more.” 

O Shalom, how we need you in our fragmented lives!

The other use of peace is restoring wholeness. It’s putting Humpty Dumpty together again. Making him integrated, reassembled, no longer shattered in pieces. Back on the wall.

The well-being of all relationships is at stake when shalom is discarded. We live in a world where our own well-being, our reconciliation with others and God is sorely needed.

Joseph, son of Jacob, said to his brothers when famine drove them to Egypt, “I am Joseph; is my father well?”  Literally, “how is the peace (shalom) of my father?” (Gen 45:1-3).

Joseph reminded his brothers of the lack of shalom their father felt all these years. His broken heart, his disconnect from others, perhaps even from God.

Jesus is the Shalom the world desperately needs. 

Jesus is our brother, come from heaven to establish inward, outward and upward shalom. A shalom bigger than we can fathom, yet one a child (of faith) can comprehend.

To live in peace is the desire of all nations and each of us (Haggai 2:6,7). This wholeness-completeness-shalom was paid for by crucifixion. May all nations and peoples come to see Christmas in this way.

Always seek shalom. 

I encourage you, ponder these words daily. Relish the thought, experience the peace the crucified one gifts you: “My peace… I give to you… Not as the world gives.” (John 14:27) At Christmas and always!

Therefore, church, each of us “Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace” (Amplified Bible).