I love the feeling when I open the box on a brand new pair of running shoes - bright, colourful, blemish free; the feeling when I stand back and admire the car that I’ve (finally) cleaned; the feeling when I tidy my desk and it’s free from clutter. The cathartic feeling of everything being perfectly in place—as it should be. What about for you?

I’ve been wondering why this is. I think it has to do with a deep desire for the world to be as it should be. God created a world of peace, prosperity and security. Shalom. A world as it should be, perfectly set up for us to thrive. But sin means that this is not the world we’ve ever fully experienced and there’s been a longing in our hearts to find shalom again.

The problem is that we’ll search in all sorts of places to fulfill this longing. We search in things that are temporary. The trainers will get scuffed, the car will get dirty, the desk will get untidy, and the search begins again. But rather than putting our hopes in the next spring clean or shopping spree, can I suggest we use these moments to remind our souls of the hope we have in Jesus. That one day he will return to rule over a world made right. To bring about a new heavens and a new earth that won’t ever fade away. To enable us to live forever in shalom.

As Paul wrote, “so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Where have you been searching for that feeling of a world made right? Why not offer that to the Lord today and fix your eyes on the future hope we have in Jesus.

Much love,
Simon

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

The search for Shalom