Shalom Shalom - Thank You, Lord!

 

My beloved Pastor said something profound in a recent sermon when he said with absolute certainty and conviction, "GOD'S NOT MAD!"

The revelation that God isn't mad, disappointed, disgusted, or frustrated with me has been a new way of thinking for me in the last 6 years or so.  God's been scrubbing out the "religion" in me that taught me otherwise, and it's been wonderful, so when my pastor said "God's not mad!", I almost leapt out of my seat at shouted "Yeah!!!" haha!

The story of how the Lord taught me how He actually feels about me is... a lot.  It's long and emotional and stunningly beautiful.  I'll write the details of the experiences I had with Him someday...when/if He asks me to.

Let me ask you this, friend...what if it's true?  What if it's true that God's not mad at you?  God's not disgusted or disappointed with you?  God's not frustrated or irritated with you?  Jesus is not hanging on that cross looking at you mournfully.  

What would it mean to your heart - your LIFE - if God actually adores you?  Delights in you? Rejoices over you?

Pray with me now... "Lord, give me a fresh revelation of your love for me.  Open my understanding to really KNOW your love and delight when you see me."

Ok, now consider Psalm 35:27 (this is just one of MANY that speak of God's heart for you)

Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

Did you catch that?  The Lord DELIGHTS in your prosperity!

(please stick with me and be pleasantly surprised if you're dreading another "prosperity" teaching) ;-) 

There are two words that I want to really draw your attention to: "delights" and "prosperity"

"Delights" isn't surprising.  It basically means what we commonly think it means.  The word used here is the Hebrew word "chaphets" (my keyboard doesn't offer the proper Hebrew punctuation).  It means delights in, desires, favors, is pleased, has pleasure.  He DELIGHTS.  He doesn't offer something good to us begrudgingly or with bitterness...he DELIGHTS.  He has PLEASURE in blessing His people.  

But let's look at "Prosperity" - this is one that many turn their noses up at because it's too often incorrectly interpreted as "financial wealth".  It's much bigger than that!

The Hebrew word used here is so beautiful:  "SHALOM SHALOM" (all caps mine because I love this word!)

Shalom Shalom means: well, happy, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, favor, good health, perfect peace, rest, safety, wholly

The way I think of it is a peace and wholeness that surpasses all understanding...that is beyond any earthy circumstance... a wholeness of mind, body, and spirit.  

As I dig into the root word of shalom shalom, it becomes even more rich. 

It comes from the root word "shalam" which means to be safe in mind, body, or estate, to be completed, to make amends, to make and end, finish, full, make good, repay, to make/be at peace and perfection, to make prosperous, restore, to make restitution.  

Could there possibly be a better word that describes what Jesus purchased for us?  I don't think so!

There is NO part of your life that God doesn't care about.  Your spiritual life, your relationships, your finances, your health, your family, your eternal salvation...of course.  But shalam is NOT withheld until we enter those pearly gates!  It is for NOW. 

Let me cut the nay-sayer off at the pass right now.  People who resist this Bible truth love to remind us to refer to the book of Job and the unimaginable suffering the poor man of God endured.  It is TRUE that we will endure trials and hardships in this lifetime.  I'm not suggesting otherwise because to do so would be to contradict Jesus Himself.  

And we will all face death.  There is a season to be born and a season to die, after all.

But friend...read all the way to the end of the book of Job.  See where God restored him.  See how God healed his body and restored his family.  See how his wealth doubled.  If you'd like me to refer to Job and his suffering, ok.  I see it.  I accept it as God's truth.  And I see a picture of REDEMPTION.  I see a story of faithfulness.  I see a story of a God who delights in the shalom shalom of His servant.

Well...I've gone far enough down that rabbit trail ;-)

What's my point?  My point is to encourage you to seek the true face of the God who adores you.  Wants good for you.  Went to the cross for the JOY of your shalom shalom.  The face of the God who's not mad at you.  The face of the God who delights in you.  The face of the God who came to save, heal, and deliver you.

It's true, friend, that we come to the foot of that awful cross and acknowledge the suffering that Jesus endured for us.  We thank Him.  We adore Him.  We are set free.

But what are we set free FOR?  To grovel at the foot of the cross for the rest of our lives?  To beat ourselves up for being sinners who needed salvation?  To imagine the grief of Jesus and to consider how horrible we are that we are there reason Jesus suffered and to live in guilt?

No.  God forbid!  Jesus suffered in our place - don't you dare let His sacrifice be wasted by taking that suffering back on yourself!

We are set free for the sake of FREEDOM.  To live as adopted (and adored!) children of the King.  To live in wholeness.  To do our part to create "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven"

So be healed by His love for you today, friend.  Be guilt-free in your joy and peace.

And know that He delights in your shalom shalom ♥️

God be magnified!