For a long time I’ve been taken with a comment from Dallas Willard along that lines that Jesus invites us into “eternal life starting now”.  In other words, we are saved to enjoy eternal life not only after we die, but every day of our life until we die and then it continues in perfection.   We can taste eternal life and the Kingdom of God while we live.  Now!  We can taste the reason why we we were made even now, and sometimes we actually do!  Forgiveness of our sins and salvation enable us to return to the great purpose of God in creation, and in creating us.  For God’s glory, he created us to share in his own fullness and enjoy his goodness in real relationship with him and with each other.  He created the world for this too.   God intends every created thing, us included, to enjoy his Shalom.

Cornelius Plantinga puts it this way, ““The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Old Testament prophets called shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or cease-fire among enemies. In the Bible shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights.”

Tim Keller writes, “Shalom means complete reconciliation, a state of the fullest flourishing in every dimension–physical, emotional, social, and spiritual–because all relationships are right, perfect, and filled with joy…. The Hebrew word shalom is an extremely rich concept—it means full human flourishing in every aspect.”

Some moments, or hours, even days of our lives are filled with this Shalom, and it’s like living in another world for a time.   That’s what last week’s “Field to Fork” celebration felt like, for four hours.   It was like the veil between the seen and unseen parted for a bit.   The glory of a perfect fall day and slight golden leaves falling on the breeze, the constant laughter and excitement of children, wood-smoke lightly in the air from a campfire, many old friends and many new friends coming and connecting and creating community for a day, prayers and thanksgivings and gratitude, and then the meal!  You simply must look at Tara’s menu, all of it made and offered in love, and enjoyed physically and even spiritually by all.   One of the folks said, “It was indeed a ‘feast of the senses!’”  It was a ‘feast for the soul’ as well.

I was able to share some words of deep thanksgiving to those gathered, and to many who couldn’t be there too.   You can listen to those words of thanks here, and know our thanksgiving to you!

Of course, an experience of Shalom is not one to be experienced, then clutched in a tight fist to keep for oneself.   We experience the deep goodness of God to give it away to others!

So, the week after four hours of living in God’s good reality, I find myself looking for opportunities to give his goodness away, and invite others to experience God’s Shalom for themselves.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!”  (Psalm 34.8)