Praise to JEHOVAH-SHALOM
Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The LORD is Peace.
Peace. Everyone’s looking for it. But where? A joint. A win. A bonus. Vacation. Pills. Success. A hook up? But what happens after the joint, win, bonus, vacation, pills, success, or break up?
In the meantime and while seeking peace, life goes on. Worriers worry. Whiners whine. Complainers complain. Wheat beaters beat wheat. And, that’s where we find Gideon. Beating wheat in a wine press…to hide it, to save the wheat from enemy terrorists who would destroy it.
Worriers worry. Whiners whine. Complainers complain. Wheat beaters beat wheat. And Jehovah-Shalom, LORD of Peace, brings peace. So that’s where we find Him…with the wheat beater at the wine press; extending peace to the wheat beater and re-assigning him to “Valiant Warrior.”
Wheat beater to Warrior. And for what purpose? To save more than wheat from the destroying enemy; …to save people from the destroying enemy and restore peace to the nation.
Jehovah-Shalom, LORD of Peace, came to a nation threatened by destroying enemies; to people who worshipped Baal. Jehovah-Shalom not only came to Gideon, His Spirit of peace and power came upon Gideon. Isn’t that what each of us needs?
What do we learn from Jehovah-Shalom and Gideon about personal and national peace?
- Worship the Lord of Peace, Jehovah-Shalom.
- Be filled with the Lord’s Spirit of peace and power.
- Remove destroying gods and fight valiantly for righteousness.
Jehovah-Shalom, LORD of PEACE, only as we look and listen to You can we embrace Your peace. Only by Your Spirit can we overcome evil. Fill us, as You did Gideon, with Your peace and empowerment.