Yesterday in the mail I received a bracelet, you know the rubber type that usually has advertisement on it or a saying. On it, it read “I found Shalom” I’m not even sure why or how I got it. But I started thinking about this word and wanted to understand the deeper meaning of it.

Most know that the Hebrew word shalom is understood around the world to mean “peace.” However, “peace” is only one small part of the meaning. “Shalom” is used to both greet people and to bid them farewell, and it means much more than “peace, hello or goodbye”….

Hebrew words go beyond their spoken pronunciation. Each Hebrew word conveys feeling, intent and emotion. Shalom is more then just simply peace; it is a complete peace. It is a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, well being and harmony.

According to Strong’s Concordance 7965 Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.

Of course, there is only one way to find TRUE shalom – and that is in the Word of YHWH. Many search for fulfillment, happiness and contentment in material possessions, money, sex, entertainment, etc. But those things do nothing to fill “that little hole in our soul” that only GOD can fill! Those things only serve to distract and prevent us from finding true peace…the shalom that can only come from Him who created and put all things into place.

Now go out and have an EPIC day today — Shalom!