Do you know what the word shalom means? It can be used as a simple greeting–hello or goodbye, but when used in the Bible it goes much deeper. Many translations use the word “peace” in place of shalom. Do you ever think about how deep God’s peace is? Shalom is defined as peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility.

2 Kings 4 tells of a woman who was so drawn to God through Elisha that she had her husband build an upper room for him to stay in when he came to town. God looked with favor upon her and gave her the son of her dreams even though her husband had grown old. One day a servant rushed in with the child and laid him in his mother’s lap. He had been in the field with his father when he cried out suddenly, “My head! My head hurts!” (2 Kings 4:19) The boy died there on her lap.

Take a moment to think about how you would react. His mother “went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door on him and went out.” ((2 Kings 4:21) She had a donkey saddled and told her husband she’d be straight back but she must get to the man of God. Confused he asked, “Why are you going to him today? It isn’t Rosh-Hadesh [the new moon] or Shabbat [the Sabbath].” Her reply was simply, “It’s all right.” Elisha saw her approaching and sent a man to ask if everything was okay. “She answered, ‘Everything is all right.’” ((2 Kings 4:26) But when she reached Elisha she fell to the ground grabbing his feet. Elisha immediately took action. Eventually, the child sneezed seven times, then opened his eyes. ((2 Kings 4:35)

I believe the Shunammite woman knew shalom in the way Father intended. She did not panic or fear–she knew she must call on the man of God and everything would be all right. We don’t need to saddle a donkey and rush off to find the man of God. We have been given the gift of Jesus. We need only to call on His name and rest in shalom.