Arise and Shine

This morning I opened my Bible to one of my favorite verses in Isaiah:

(NIV)Isaiah 60:1-5
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. [3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. [4] “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. [5] Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

I really believe this is the call to the Church in these increasingly dark days. We are supposed to rise up and shine! The Lord is our light, we are called to show Him to the world! His glory will rise upon us, and will appear over us! Oh Lord, help us to rise up, to shine Your light in the this dark world. Let us love like no other! May Your mercy and compassion, love, faithfulness and forgiveness flow out of us to the world. Fill our hearts with joy!

You are what we need and want. The nations long for You and when they see Your glory shining out, they will be drawn to it like moths to the flame. Lord we cry out for this generation, for Your people!

As I was praying this I was reminded of Isaiah 35:

(NIV)Isaiah 35:1-10
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [2] it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. [3] Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. [7] The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. [8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. [9] No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, [10] and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Yes Lord, we pray this over the church, over ourselves. Strengthen our feeble hands, encourage our fearful hearts, bring healing and restoration. Let Your river of life flow out and quench the dry grounds, the desert, the hearts that are dying of thirst.