Staff Devotional · others.” Shalom is about peace and justice for all. The Christian practice of...
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DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS --Where do you see injustice and pain around you? --What pain do you need to acknowledge or apologize for this week? Who might you need to forgive? --If being faithful means pursuing shalom, how can you spread dignity and well- being for others this week? Shalom for All FOCUS Reflection on "Revelation 21" by Laura Jonker DEVO #5 READ: REVELATION 21 “Those who conquer…(Rev 21:6)” St. John of Patmos’ vision of the new creation in Revelation 21 is like the promising speech of a long-awaited graduation from one world into the next. Will this holy vision of “no more pain” in the new creation truly come? We long and hope for the day. While the English translation of νικῶν (nikon)-- conquer -- seems to imply a call to victorious battle, the Greek reveals more nuance: “to subdue, to hold fast their faith unto death, to win the case, maintain one’s cause.” In other words, the children of God who inherit the "water of life" in this new creation are those who remain faithful to the end. But what does it mean to “maintain the cause" -- especially during these dark days of violence, riots and racial injustice? The witness of scripture confirms the pursuit of םֹ לוָׁ ש(shalom) is crucial for God’s people on earth. Defined as the Hebrew concept for salvation, shalom “is multidimensional, complete well-being — physical, psychological, social, and spiritual; it flows from all of one’s relationships being put right — with God, with(in) oneself, and with others.” Shalom is about peace and justice for all. The Christian practice of shalom in our sinful and broken world is complex. My seminary course called "War, Peace and Peacemaking" opened my eyes to the importance of seeing the world as a web of relationships where we seek to celebrate human dignity -- because all bear God’s image (Genesis 1:26). If every human matters to God, we simply cannot ignore any voice or pain -- not even those of perpetrators of injustice. Upholding human dignity is the foundation of what it means to “maintain the cause” and to pursue shalom in the world. This happens through acknowledging pain, reparation for harm, genuine apologies, appropriate punishment and heart-felt forgiveness. Each process is long and nuanced. But the more we see these steps of peace-building as a process of restoring right relationships with God, self and others through confession of our own guilt and active desire for the flourishing of others, the more we will experience shalom on earth. We trust God is the one who promises to put an end to all “mourning, crying and pain” and sustain us with the “water of life” in the creation to come. In the meantime, we seek to nikon faithfully through every crisis of injustice, and pursue dignity for every human heart no matter what their race, criminal record, political view or home city. May we all carry on and cling to the One who promises to “make all things new" and heal our broken world. “The Meaning of Shalom in the Bible: Shalom: What Does Shalom Mean?,” NIV Bible, February 24, 2020, https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/meaning-shalom-bible/) Philpott, Daniel. Just and Unjust Peace an Ethic of Political Reconciliation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Transcript of Staff Devotional · others.” Shalom is about peace and justice for all. The Christian practice of...
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QUESTIONS--Where do you see injustice and pain around you?--What pain do you need to acknowledge or apologize for this week? Whomight you need to forgive? --If being faithful means pursuing shalom, how can you spread dignity and well-being for others this week?
Shalom for All
FOCUS
Reflection on "Revelation 21" by Laura Jonker
DEVO #5
READ: REVELATION 21G R O W I N G A T H O M E
“Those who conquer…(Rev 21:6)” St. John of Patmos’ vision of the new creation in Revelation21 is like the promising speech of a long-awaited graduation from one world into the next. Willthis holy vision of “no more pain” in the new creation truly come? We long and hope for the day.While the English translation of νικῶν (nikon)-- conquer -- seems to imply a call to victoriousbattle, the Greek reveals more nuance: “to subdue, to hold fast their faith unto death, to win thecase, maintain one’s cause.” In other words, the children of God who inherit the "water of life" inthis new creation are those who remain faithful to the end. But what does it mean to “maintain the cause" -- especially during these dark days ofviolence, riots and racial injustice? The witness of scripture confirms the pursuit of לֹום ׁשָ (shalom) is crucial for God’s people on earth. Defined as the Hebrew concept for salvation,shalom “is multidimensional, complete well-being — physical, psychological, social, and spiritual;it flows from all of one’s relationships being put right — with God, with(in) oneself, and withothers.” Shalom is about peace and justice for all. The Christian practice of shalom in our sinful and broken world is complex. My seminarycourse called "War, Peace and Peacemaking" opened my eyes to the importance of seeing theworld as a web of relationships where we seek to celebrate human dignity -- because all bearGod’s image (Genesis 1:26). If every human matters to God, we simply cannot ignore any voice orpain -- not even those of perpetrators of injustice. Upholding human dignity is the foundation of what it means to “maintain the cause” and topursue shalom in the world. This happens through acknowledging pain, reparation for harm,genuine apologies, appropriate punishment and heart-felt forgiveness. Each process is long andnuanced. But the more we see these steps of peace-building as a process of restoring rightrelationships with God, self and others through confession of our own guilt and active desire forthe flourishing of others, the more we will experience shalom on earth. We trust God is the onewho promises to put an end to all “mourning, crying and pain” and sustain us with the “water oflife” in the creation to come. In the meantime, we seek to nikon faithfully through every crisis ofinjustice, and pursue dignity for every human heart no matter what their race, criminal record, political view or home city. May we all carry on and cling to the One who promises to “make allthings new" and heal our broken world.
“The Meaning of Shalom in the Bible: Shalom: What Does Shalom Mean?,” NIV Bible, February 24, 2020,
https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/meaning-shalom-bible/)
Philpott, Daniel. Just and Unjust Peace an Ethic of Political Reconciliation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
