“他使我们和睦，将两下合而为一，拆毁了中间隔断的墙。” – 弗 2:14
“和平”的希伯来原文是Shalom。这个字的意思内涵丰富，远不止无争议、无战争、无冲突、无压力或无敌意。它指所有受造的人和物都全然兴盛、就像生命原本应有的样式。在犯罪堕落之前，我们的始祖在伊甸园享受和平Shalom的生活（创世记2章）。他们在树荫下安然与神同行；他们全然享受彼此相伴；他们手所做的工和居住的世界都是美好无暇的。
作为信徒，藉着耶稣的牺牲，我们已经与神和好，现今我们能够至少尝到些许亚当和夏娃犯罪之前的生活。同样，无论在教会内外，我们也可以瞥见我们所盼望的在神面前才有的平安。这种平安，有时我们能深深畅饮，有时却只是略略浅尝，然而它却是始终都临在的。
我们也领受了一份差遣，就是引领他人再次经历这种平安。其中一个可行的方式就是扪心自问：“我可以做些什么，来帮助其他人活得更加在地如天（神国）呢？”在今天，你能想到一个让别人的生命经历平安的途径吗？
祷告
天父啊，藉着耶稣我们能够与你和好，你又带领我们与人和睦，我们感谢你。求你帮助我们，在这个破碎的世界中做一个和平的使者。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
以弗所书 2:11-22
11所以你们应当记念：你们从前按肉体是外邦人，是称为没受割礼的，这名原是那些凭人手在肉身上称为受割礼之人所起的；
12那时你们与基督无关，在以色列国民以外，在所应许的诸约上是局外人，并且活在世上没有指望，没有神。
13你们从前远离神的人，如今却在基督耶稣里，靠着他的血，已经得亲近了。
14因他使我们和睦，将两下合而为一，拆毁了中间隔断的墙，
15而且以自己的身体废掉冤仇，就是那记在律法上的规条，为要将两下藉着自己造成一个新人，如此便成就了和睦。
16既在十字架上灭了冤仇，便藉这十字架，使两下归为一体，与神和好了。
17并且来传和平的福音给你们远处的人，也给那近处的人；
18因为我们两下藉着他被一个圣灵所感，得以进到父面前。
19这样，你们不再做外人和客旅，是与圣徒同国，是神家里的人了。
20并且被建造在使徒和先知的根基上，有基督耶稣自己为房角石，
21各房靠他联络得合式，渐渐成为主的圣殿，
22你们也靠他同被建造，成为神藉着圣灵居住的所在。
Shalom
“He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. . . .” – Ephesians 2:14
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. This rich word means much more than the absence of conflict, war, or strife and a lack of tension or animosity. It points to full flourishing for all people and creation, in which life is exactly as it should be. Prior to their fall into sin, our first parents enjoyed shalom in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2). They fully enjoyed their walks with God in the cool of the day, they enjoyed each other’s company fully, and their work and world were beautiful.
As believers who have been restored to a right relationship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus, we now have a taste—at least to some degree—of what Adam and Eve enjoyed before sin entered their lives. Likewise, in the church and outside of it, we also have a glimpse of the peace that awaits us in God’s presence. Sometimes this taste of shalom is strong, and sometimes it is weak, but it is always there.
We have also been tasked with bringing others to a renewed sense of peace. One way of approaching this is to ask, “How can I make life on earth seem a little more like heaven (or God’s kingdom) for someone else?” Can you think of a way to bring peace into the lives of others today?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the peace that we have with you through Jesus, and for guiding us to grow in peace with others. Help us to be agents of peace in this broken world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
