Heart Tracks - Arise, Shine!

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you." Isaiah 60:1-2....."It's not the magnitude of the darkness around us, but the power of the Light within us." Unknown

Someone said that they are not moved by what most consider to be "facts." They are empowered by what they know to be "Truth." Which most moves and empowers you? I ask because there can be no denying the "facts" of the ever growing darkness of our culture and society. Depravity and decadence are being mainstreamed at an ever faster pace. Many see this as sure evidence of the soon return of Christ. I'm not writing to argue against that, but I will "argue" against the seeming attitude of just giving up to that and believing that the darkness has won and all that remains for us is to sit on our hands and wait to be taken home, either by way of natural death or His return. I see nowhere in His Word where that is be an option. More, in places like China, Africa, the Middle East, and other places where believers face intense persecution for their trust in Christ, such an attitude has no place. The power of death and darkness has been unleashed against them, but their response is to shine ever brighter in that darkness. They are not looking to leave this realm. They seek to be an ever brighter testimony of His Life and Light to a surrounding world where death and darkness hold sway. Can we be anything less?

Someone prophesied that in the darkness of this generation, there will be an even brighter revelation of Christ. I believe this. I believe that this is to be the heartset of the people of God. We cannot hide in our churches, Bible studies, and prayer groups, hoping to stave off the darkness, or be insulated against it. Neither are we to live in fear or despair because of it. Expectant hope is to be the defining trait of the believer. Since the fall, when sin entered into this world, darkness and death have stalked humankind. That will not cease until He does return, but nowhere are we told to make peace with it, or to give up the battle. That's why I love Isaiah 60 so much. The posture of the believer is to be one where we daily "arise and shine," in Him, for He, the Light has come. And the intensity of the darkness, no matter how powerful, must yield before that Light.

Isaiah 60 does not paint a picture of some heavenly utopia. Indeed, it looks very much like today. Darkness does cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but we His people can take heart. He is risen. He has come. His glory is upon us. He is the Light that pierces all darkness, even the darkness you may feel is suffocating you right now. His call to you, to me, to His church, is to arise, to shine. His light has come.

There is a song from Hillsongs that blesses me so much. It's lyric goes;

When the darkness fills my senses,
When my blindness keeps me from Your touch,
Jesus come

Our life can be like this...often. At such times, we can pray such a prayer....and He will come. When He does, He will empower us to arise and to shine in the midst of the deepest darkness. Do you need to pray that prayer today? If so, do so. He will come, and you will shine.

Blessings,
Pastor O