Arise, shine, for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
And thick darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will arise upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
-Isaiah 60:1-3.
I love this scripture. I love the light!
God has been continually reminding me of it for the past few months and this past week while our team was worshipping I opened up to it in my Bible and as I read it the Lord gave me a picture.
Basically I saw our team and each of us as individuals shining with the brightest light possible. Not a light like the sun, not a light like the stars or the light of a bright lamp but a light more marvelous. We each had a light that shines in a thicker, denser, wider reaching sort of way that fills all space around where we are, an almost tangible light that shines even in daylight.
From our homestead here on this hill in rural Swaziland we were arising and going out to visit people around us, to houses and carepoints and churches and stores and schools. Following the command to arise and shine because our light had come and yes He has! All around us is darkness and around the people is an even thicker darkness and as we walk and move the light we possess comes with us shining even into the darkest areas and filling them with light. When we leave our light comes with us returning the place and people back to their original darkness unless we leave some of our light behind. So we minister and share and touch and preach and love and comfort and through this we shed our light to the people giving them their very own piece of light. The more we minister the brighter they get and they begin to share their new light with their neighbours and friends.
The best part is that as we give light and shed and surrender light we get brighter. Giving light didn’t mean we lost light but it meant that we gained it. That’s marvelous light.
Do you realize that you have marvelous light inside of you if you are walking with Jesus as your saviour? Do you realize that wherever you go you shine? You shine brightly because you carry the glory of the Lord! You can’t help it; God loves to shine through you. He created you for His glory. To shine His glory and the more you share His glory the stronger you shine because of it.
You don’t have to be in Africa to shine. The Bible says that, “You are the light of the world.” Matt 5:14. It doesn’t say you only shine in certain places or that you have to be a missionary to shine it simply says that YOU are the LIGHT of the world. No stipulations. You are called a light and told to arise and shine. That means in all circumstances, in all places, at all times of day with all kinds of people.
Be encouraged. Even little things like giving someone a hug or telling them you love them sheds your light. The gospel is full of light. It is light. Share that, it is the best thing anyone will ever hear.
Go, shine your light.
