I've been thinking of my college years lately. So much silliness and laughter and late nights and coffee!
We were starry eyed and confident. We were ready to take on the world, whether they were ready for us or not.
And now, life is filled with sorrow and tears and late nights of prayer and morning coffee. Another friend just told me of a miscarriage tonight and we are moments away from another friend leaving us to be present with the Lord. How we are desperate for peace. Good thing today we have Jehovah Shalom, The Lord is Peace.
This name is given to us in Judges 6:24. Chapter 6 starts out with, "Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years." The Bible says the Midianites were like locusts and they came into the land to devastate it.
Verse 6 says Israel was brought very low because of Midian. They were struggling, trying to find food, trying to stay alive. Enter Gideon. The text tells us that an angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak (there is that tree again!). The angel appears to Gideon and says, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior." Gideon is like, what? Don't you know God has abandoned us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?
*Side note: Today in Moms in Prayer, our attribute of God was God is the miracle worker. Psalm 77:11 says, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord, yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago." In contrast to Judges 2:10, after Joshua died, the new generation that rose up, did not know the Lord, "nor yet the work which He had done for Israel." This is yet another reminder to tell this generation of the work that God has done in our lives and in theirs!
So back to Gideon, this interaction continues with the angel of the Lord (Jesus). The angel tells Gideon to deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Gideon wants a sign , it is given. Then in verse 23, the Lord said to him, "Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die." And this is where we see Gideon building the altar to the Lord and naming it Jehovah Shalom.
I was trying to think about how Gideon would be feeling: scared, hungry, abandoned. An angel of the Lord appeared and burnt up his offering after being told He would deliver Israel as a valiant warrior. No wonder he needed peace!
For my hour with God today, I sat on my porch soaking in the sunshine. Bible in my lap and a cup of coffee in my hand. It was really peaceful. Is this the peace You are talking about Lord?
His answer was "no". God gave Gideon peace, not on a sunny day and not with a cup of coffee for sure. God revealed Himself as Peace in the midst of a very "low" time. And not only were circumstances difficult, but Gideon was going to have to go fight the bad guys next. This does not resemble my moment on the porch.
In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
His peace isn't like the calm day I had today (not as the world gives, not based on circumstances). The angel of the Lord in Judges 6 and Jesus in John 14 offer peace and command us not to be fearful. So many scriptures that say "Do not fear" are followed by God acting on that person's behalf. We need not fear, but allow God to act on our behalf. In war, in grief, in life, in college, in our every moment. The Lord is peace. The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the name of the Lord is Peace, you are safe. And it is well.
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