Arise and Shine

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee." (Isaiah 60:1-5).

"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." (Isaiah 62:1-5).

Zion is knitted to Jerusalem and the names are interchangeable. Jerusalem also has a meaning for us who are believers. The Jerusalem of God are us who are His church. Many travel to Israel to see the physical places where Jesus lived and died and arose from the dead, and it is good. But we believers who are saved are the true Jerusalem today and the unsaved must see Jesus in us. His resurrection must be visible in us.

Many people overseas don't go to church saying they see God in nature and the beautiful things on earth. Yes it is true that the glory of God is revealed in nature. But it is sad that people choose not to go to church on a Sunday and find their inspiration in nature.

If your life is not reflecting the power and majesty of God you are guilty before God. You should arise and shine forth God's glory.

Zion means the place where God's light shines forth. Is that your life? If you are not shining then you are not the Jerusalem of God.

Zion also means the place where God's light shone in its strength on the swamp where sin reigned and dries it out completely, sin being destroyed in that place.

Whatever the circumstances you find yourself in, yet let your light shine forth - God's light in you.

A certain doctor went to the island of Crete every two weeks to teach the students there. One day at the end of the lesson, a timid student stood up and asked a question, "dr explain to me the meaning of life". The others in the class were irritated that this timid student asked the question, but the doctor was undisturbed. So he put his hand in his pocket, took out his wallet and took out of his wallet a little mirror.

He said that when he was small he had a lot of fun with the mirror. He could reflect light or the rays of the sun into a dark place. It brought to him the greatest enjoyment to reflect the sun's rays into a dark place with that mirror.

As he grew up he realised that that game of his was of much greater significance. It taught him a great lesson. The mirror doesn't have its own internal light, but it reflects light, the sun's rays. Jesus is the light of the world and He said to us, "you are the light of the world" because of Him. We reflect His light and we must reflect His light into the dark places of this world. So that is the meaning of life, reflecting the light of Jesus to people in darkness.

D.L. Moody was once visited by a group of ministers in the late 1800s. At that time there was no preacher as well known as he was. He was visited by ministers all over Europe when he was in Europe. It was the custom at that time that ministers would leave their shoes in the passage as they retired to their rooms. When Moody saw the shoes he decided to get the students of the Bible College to help him polish them, but they were too busy and had many excuses. So he took the shoes to his room and polished them.

He knew the secret of servanthood. That revealed his greatness.

So too let your light shine forth.

A certain 16-year old Christian girl worked at a factory where all were unsaved. She had a very difficult time. She went to her minister and said to him that she's going to resign. He asked her, "if you have a lantern, where would you place it?" She replied, "obviously where it's very dark." So he said to her, "that's why God had put you there to let your light shine." That day her eyes were opened and she realised that she had to let God's light shine there where He had placed her. It didn't take very long and nine other girls were saved through her.

So it is the same with you. Many want to give up when it goes difficult but that is where your light must shine in the midst of the difficult situation.

If your light doesn't shine and reflect God's light where it's dark, then it is clear that you don't have God's light.

If we as God's children love one another, then that shines forth that we are His disciples.

Here God says that for Zion's sake He will not be silent until her light shines forth. Also she shall no more be called desolate for the Lord delights in her.

When God looks at you does His heart leap for joy?