The apostle Paul starts most of his letters with this statement or something very similar. How many times have you read these verses and just flew by without pondering them? I know I have many times over many years. Is this just a “Hi, How are you today” cultural greeting or was Paul pronouncing a blessing on his readers? Would you be blessed if a friend said this to you? Could you bless a friend if you said this to them? I no longer zoom through these verses. I stop and drink in the grace and peace God offers to me. I invite you to do the same. Linger on these verses the next time they come up in your Bible reading. You will be blessed!