Peace (Shalom/Eirene) is more than the absence of conflict. It is completeness, wholeness. A state in which there is more than nothing clearly wrong but everything being completely right. We instinctively know the difference, even if naively we like to hope when there is no conflict there is peace. This presence of conflict and lack of peace is not how things have always been or how God intended us to be. God created everything and He created it “Good”. The Gospel begins with God making man and women in His image joins

them together in marriage, places them in a peaceful Garden. Gives them purpose to cultivate a flourishing

world while they enjoy multiplying. God dwells with them. There is wholeness, there is not conflict. An Enemy of God came into the garden sowing seeds of doubt about God’s goodness and the consequence of

rejecting God. Humanity willingly exchanged the presence of peace for a war of independence rejecting

God’s rule, but also the connection to the source of life and wholeness. This is sin. Sin takes peace and brings conflict. It takes out the right relationship between God and His People. Why is peace so difficult to have? Sin is what robbed us of Shalom and introduced conflict. God comes and engages with this conflict bringing both justice, holiness, as well as mercy and grace. He makes a promise.