Every letter of the Apostle Paul includes the greeting “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Makes it seem pretty important, huh?!
See 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Timothy 1:2 (adds mercy); 2 Timothy 1:2 (adds mercy); Titus 1:4 and Philemon 1:3.
I like this explanation from MacDonald and Farstad:
“Paul’s characteristic greeting combines grace and peace. Grace (charis) is a Greek emphasis, and peace (shalom) is the traditional Jewish greeting. The combination is especially appropriate because Paul’s message (in Romans) tells how believing Jews and Gentiles are now one new man in Christ. The grace mentioned here is not the grace that saves (Paul’s readers were already saved) but the grace that equips and empowers for Christian life and service. Peace is not so much peace with God (the saints already had that because they were justified by faith) but rather the peace of God reigning in their hearts while they were in the midst of a turbulent society.” (William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments).
I include it on all my emails as a prayer…
Father, I pray that You would shower us with Your grace and peace. We thank You for Your saving grace—that through Christ You have blessed us with forgiveness of our sin and eternal life even though we deserve nothing from You. But we also ask for the grace we need to be equipped and empowered for Christ-like living and service. We cannot live the life You’ve called us to apart from Your grace. We thank You for the peace we have with You. Though we were once Your enemies, separated from You and dead in our sins, because of Your mercy You have reconciled us to Yourself through the sacrifice of Jesus and given us peace. But we also pray for the peace we need in such an unpeaceful world. All around us there is war, hatred, violence, anger, bitterness, turbulence, unrest, uncertainty—without the blessing of Your peace reigning in our hearts, we will surely be pulled into this storm. Please give us the peace that defies comprehension that we may please You and display the reality of Your presence in our lives to the peace-less individuals all around us—peace that can only come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I ask for Your grace and peace in Jesus’ name. Amen.
