“1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” – Isaiah 60:1-3 (ESV)
Isaiah is speaking to the nation of Israel here for them to be the light of God to the world. I love the words used, “to the brightness”. It is one thing to see the light, but something else entirely to be bright.
I am an early riser and that is for a number of reasons, but one is so that I can get some exercise. I go for a walk/run on the streets near my home. There are a number of street lights on my route. On any day there will be at least one light that is not working and it is in those areas that I have a fleeting thought of whether or not I am going the way I set out to go. It is a fleeting thought as I know that I have gone the right way, as I go that same route every day, but I am concerned with losing my beacons to tell me where I am, where I am headed, how much further, and the security of knowing I can see what might be coming.
I have to remember the words of Isaiah in verse 1 that my “light has come; and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you”. I am that beacon of light for others in the name of Christ. I have to be there and shine bright for them to have a marker to know where they are, where they are headed, how much further, and the security of knowing they will be able to see what might be coming.
God is light, and He shines that light on me. I am the conduit to bring that light to others around me and show them the way that is Christ-like and full of love for them and everyone.
When you are in the world, do you have moments where your light may not be as bright as it could/should be? Are you looking to be the light that shines for Christ? Will you shine bright so others will come?
Trevor's Thoughts 