The Place of Peace

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(John 2:13, NRS)

We have moved. Settling into a new location takes time. It is a process. Where we are in life is often attached to a place. So, it is my prayer that this place in life symbolizes peace, the shalom. Knowing, receiving, and living in the shalom of God brings a wholeness that nothing and no one else can do in our life.

John wrote more about Jesus' travels to Jerusalem than the other gospel writers. Whenever a place is discussed in the Bible, we are able to understand the passage more clearly by searching to find the meaning of the named place. So, what was important about Jerusalem?

Throughout the old and new testaments, Jerusalem symbolized the rule of God. Essentially, Jerusalem became the symbol of hope. It was not only the place where King David established his reign (I Chronicles 11) but the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant; representing the covenant God made the people of Israel his own. (I Chronicles 15-17).

When an individual knows that no matter what, they belong to God, there is an indescribable peace, the shalom. Christ, God with us, revealed that wherever we are in His presence is a place of peace.

Look around you today.
Are you in a place of peace?
Be aware of the presence of Christ's peace.
Receive His peace.
Be in a place of peace.
Learning with you to be in a place of peace,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)