The Name of God: Yahweh Shalom (Judges 6:24)

By Dr. Brandon Steenbock, Family MinisterI’m really bad at sleeping. One night I’ll fall asleep quickly, only to wake up two hours later tossing and turning for hours. The next night I can’t fall asleep at all. My wife reports that I often moan and even talk in my sleep. I wake up most mornings groggy, weary, and aching. Sometimes I spare my wife the trouble and retreat to the basement so at least she can rest.I just can’t get my brain to shut down. Someone gave me the advice of making up a story in my head - something without consequences as a form of cathartic stress relief. That worked once. Now I keep myself awake spinning out the story. The one thing I’ve found that really works is prayer. I make a mental list of all the people and things I need to pray about, and then go down that list, one prayer at a time. Usually I don’t get to the bottom of the list before dozing off. I think I should feel bad about it - isn’t there a story about some guys nodding off when they’re supposed to be praying? But really, I don’t feel bad. All I’m really doing is going into the presence of the God of Peace and letting his peace lull me to sleep. The God of Peace. A man named Gideon gave that title to God in Judges 6. He stood face to face with the Angel of the Lord and was sure he would die - and then he didn’t. Instead, God said, “Peace! Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!” To honor God, Gideon built an altar and called God “Yahweh Shalom” - the Lord is Peace. It seems ironic, because God was about to call Gideon to war - anything but peace. But Gideon understood - the peace of the Lord doesn’t mean there is no trouble, it only means that we find peace when we bring our troubles to the Lord. That’s what I’ve learned in my nighttime prayers. My troubles keep me awake, but when I bring them to the Lord, bring them into the presence of the God of Peace, I can find rest. His peace overwhelms my problems. His peace stills my restless heart. His peace calms my racing mind. What’s keeping you up at night? Your own troubles, or the troubles a loved one is facing? Take it to the God of Peace. Let his presence overwhelm you with his peace. Prayer: God of Peace, bring your wholeness into my troubled mind and heart, and give me the peace that only you can give. Amen.