Monday’s Moment of Shalom…
Shalom in Ordinary Days
Ordinary, everyday routines don’t necessarily feel spiritual. But perhaps they are the most significant factors in our lifelong journeys of spiritual formation and transformation. I hope you’ll join me today for some thoughts about “ordinary days of Shalom.”
This lovely water feature at St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin, Ireland spoke shalom to me.
As I said in last Monday’s post, the Hebrew word Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) is my favorite word in any language. We pray for shalom to enter into places of deep conflict and war in the world. Those are definitely worthwhile prayers. Asking God to show us the shalom of harmony, interior peace, completeness, prosperity, and welfare in ordinary activities and routines may be every bit as worthwhile.
Right now, I am re-entering everyday life after an international trip that included adventure, spiritual insights, and high points. Reconnecting with routines and daily habits that were upended can feel insignificant. Perhaps you too may struggle with the mundane—maybe wondering if your daily tasks matter.
One of my prayers concerning shalom is that the Lord will enable me to reflect the love of God, the heart of Jesus, and the wisdom of the Spirit where the rubber of my faith meets the road of my life. Eugene Peterson’s modern language translation of Romans 12:1 in which Paul is writing to his early Christian friends in Rome expresses this so well:
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
If you were to ask me right now who my favorite human being in the whole wide world is, I would answer without hesitating that it is my husband of almost 47 years.
One of Ron’s favorite passages of scripture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, when Paul is once again speaking to his friends about how to live out godly love within their community:
…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands … (NIV)
There’s a quality of peace and safeness when an individual’s unassuming, steady day-after-day behavior determines what needs to be done, and he or she simply does it. My husband and I are unique individuals. His life journey is intertwined but different from mine. I feel blessed to be married to a man who doesn’t minimize what matters to me or shuts me down when I want to share thoughts.
Certainly, Ron doesn’t always agree and doesn’t hesitate to share a different perspective or even challenge mine, which has at times resulted in rather heated discussions! The commitment to seek shalom, however, whether in the home, neighborhood, workplace, faith community, or politically, doesn’t mean there will always be absolute agreement, and I imagine that’s good since “group think” can turn toxic.
Every day, though, our ordinary moments matter! As I give mine to God, shalom seems to permeate the environment. Shalom enables people to live and work together harmoniously and, in the process, learn from one another and create beneficial changes.
Wind-blown but happy, Ron and I experience the rugged Cliffs of Moher in Ireland
My favorite photo of the Cliffs of Moher.
Prayer of Shalom
In my recent morning devotional time, I read this prayer attributed to someone from Africa (Celtic Daily Light, 15 May reading) which pretty much sums up what I am trying to convey in today’s post:
As tools come to be sharpened by the blacksmith,
So may we come, Lord.
As sharpened tools go back to their owner,
So may we go back to our everyday life
To be used by you.
Amen
I hope and pray these few words about shalom in ordinary days sparks a bit of hope in your soul and adds a smidge of light to your routine.
Blessings on your journey,
