So there's the meaning of Shalom, there's the source, God spoke this peace, but now there's the presence of Shalom. Now we talk about the subjective experience. Why is it so elusive? Why is peace so often not my experience? And so God would have us to connect our subjective peace with what is objective, so that when they unite, we experience more of what we just sang in the song. Not a worry, not a care of trouble. And of course, we don't think the songwriter is so naive to think that he had no external trouble, or no distresses, or nothing that could cause him worry. But what was he speaking about? Shalom peace. Perfect peace like a river flowing. How can we experience more of that? Well, the angel says it's the presence of the Lord. Look now at verse 12 of chapter 6. The angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with you, thou mighty man of valor. And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles, which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. Delivered us into his hands. The Lord's with you. Peace unto you, Gideon. Why? The Lord is with you. If we can experience, in some way, more of the presence of God, then our fears, like Gideon's, and our anxieties will be driven out again and again. That's not a one-time experience, is it? We are confronted with fears, anxieties, and oppression of every kind daily. And so the Lord speaks to you, and He speaks peace through His Word and says, I am with you. Now here's our problem like Gideon. If that's true, Lord, why has this befallen us? Do you ever say that with Gideon? Now, so an observation here and then an answer to Gideon's question. An observation and then the answer, why did those things befall Israel? The observation. Gideon is trying to find Shalom based on what happens to it. Do you ever try that? You look outside of you where there is no peace and surely there's not, is there? You look at our culture. You look at what's happening relationally. You look at things that come into your life and you conclude the God of peace is really not with me because of what is befalling me. And then what happens? Fear of every kind rules the heart. Because we don't understand something about the presence of God. Now, to be sure, God was not present in terms of their experience of peace, but He had not forsaken them, has He? See, the proof He had not forsaken them is the very proof that the Midianites were oppressing them. Because He delivered them into the hand of the Midianites. Why? That they would call upon the name of the Lord. So often the very events that rob us of our peace are the events that prove that the God of peace is with us. We expect the proof of God's presence to be that there is no distress, there's no marital problems, there's no family problems, there's no church problems. And then we become just like the world, don't we? I want you to turn to John chapter 14. When Jesus is about to leave the world through crucifixion, He tells His disciples He's leaving them with peace. And we're going to connect it with the presence of Jehovah. He is our peace and His presence brings us that peace subjectively again and again and again. Right? John chapter 14 verse 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Verse 27. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth. Peace implied, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. So Jesus could be talking about that peace by and by, shalom in the future, but I don't think he is because he says right now, let this drive out your fear and drive out your anxieties. Right? Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Now the first question is, how does the world give peace? It's the only way they can give it. It's the only way they can offer peace to you. By escape. you have to escape the circumstances which are robbing you of peace. Or by avoidance, you've got to stay away from those things. Or by busyness, activity. If I can just engage myself in all kinds of activities, I can forget the circumstances and the lack of peace that I have. Or finally, The world gives peace through good circumstances. That's the only way they can offer you peace, right? If we could just secure the borders, if we could get rid of the COVID restrictions, if inflation would be brought low, if I had good health insurance, and if they will just preserve the social security system of our retirement, I could have a little peace. What's the problem there? That's the world speaking peace to you. It's just based on what's happened to you outside of yourself. I can just have good circumstances. I could be at peace. No you won't. Shalom doesn't come that way. It's found in who God is and the presence of God. Now where is Jesus going when He says, My peace I leave with you? He's going to the crucifixion. That's no peace. That's distress. That can be a cause of great fear. But He says, My peace I leave with you. So Jesus has peace, although he's not living in an unreal world. He's experiencing the weight of what's about to happen. He's not being dreamy about as if nothing's about to happen. He faces what's happening. He's not avoiding what's happening. He's not escaping his circumstances. He walks right into them with peace. He walks right into bad, evil, terrible circumstances. with peace because He's going to walk in them with the presence of His Father.