"Peace—to every heart"

Today, a deep yearning for peace touches human hearts everywhere. Thousands of years ago, the writers of the Bible also felt this need in their own time and included many inspiring references to God bringing peace to people’s lives. In the book of Psalms, for example, we read, “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace” (29:11). And later, in the New Testament, we find this salutation near the end of the Epistle to the Ephesians, “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (6:23).

Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew word used for peace is predominantly šālôm, commonly rendered shalom in English. This peace not only refers to the absence of conflict between individuals or nations but also points to an inner quietness for each of us, a spiritual tranquility that includes a genuine sense of completeness or wholeness.