Drawn by the Light

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Isaiah 60:1-3 (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

I came downstairs one morning, eagerly anticipating my first cup of coffee. As I turned the corner into the kitchen, sunlight spilled across the room and warmed my face. Outside my window, the sky was ablaze with a spectacular sunrise. I stopped in my tracks, caught by the brilliant light, and thought of the verse our ministry is named for:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”

Isaiah opens with the arrival of the light, but he doesn’t pretend the darkness isn’t real. He says plainly that “darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples.” We feel that, don’t we? Heavy news, hard diagnoses, strained relationships, long seasons of waiting. But look at what comes next: “but the Lord rises upon you, and his glory appears over you.”

Whatever is happening in the world around us, His light still shines. The warmth of His love still surrounds us. We may not always feel His closeness or sense His presence, but our emotions never change God’s nearness. The sun is still rising, even on the mornings we’re too weary to look out the window.

And here’s the beautiful part: that same light isn’t just for us. Just as the brightness of the sunrise drew me in, the love of Jesus draws others to Him. As you spend time with your family, neighbors, and friends, may the kindness of God flow through you to a world desperate for Jesus.

Arise and shine, dear one! Let the light of Jesus pierce the darkness. Step into the warm sunshine of God’s grace, love, and mercy. Everywhere you go today, you carry that light with you into the world.