Joshua 13-14 / Luke 18:1-17/ Psalm 85 / Proverbs 13:7-8
Have you ever said or had someone say to you “Salom”? And have you wondered what it meant? Some think it simply means “peace”, but it means so much more. It’s a strong and rich word. Psalm 85:8a I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for He speaks peace to His faithful people.”
Let’s explore this word in greater depth because I know it will strengthen you! And it will cause you to want to bless others with Salom.
Peace in Psalm 85 is the word Salom, pronounced shaw-lome. This word carries the following: completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship (with humanity and God), and of course, peace.
Let’s broaden that. Health is to be whole, entire, healthy, and sound. Safety is to be secure, tranquil, those who seek peace, a friend. Salom is used to encourage one who is fearful, and to assure him of peace, in this sense. There is nothing for you to fear, you are in safety.
Do you have a friend who is sick or fearful? Speak Salom over them! Our words are so important. When we speak words, we must make sure we are using words that bring life, courage, along with everything that Salom means.
Salom becomes especially meaningful when spoken in a difficult time. We can always speak peace over ourselves and others. In this way, I imagine this word becoming a prayer. Since God understands the full meaning – probably even beyond what I’ve written here – by us speaking this one word over our or another’s situation, we are giving an incredible gift.
I would imagine faith would be strengthened, fear would be discouraged, hope would return. Maybe the darkness would clear so we could see the beauty of the LORD in a hard place. Even in those hard places, God is there. He is present, giving us all we need. He promises to walk with us in all things.
I have a friend who is facing a difficult diagnosis, and today I’m speaking Salom over her and her family and trusting that God will use His Word to bring everything needed to them. Sometimes we feel powerless to fix or help a situation, but the LORD is never powerless.
I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Passion Translation, We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously.
He will bring us out victoriously – that is a promise, and God never lies. Even when the path or the outcome doesn’t look as we expected (it rarely does), we know that He is good and that all He does is what’s good for us.
That said, can the enemy interfere with God’s goodness? Of course, he can. That’s why standing in faith and prayer are important. If we’re tired or weak and not able to stand firm, that’s when the body of Christ steps in to stand with us. We are to bear one another’s burdens.
Will you speak Salom over my friend today? God will know who it’s directed to – so thank you for joining me!
