“Arise, Shine” The Wayfarer 4/1/17

“Arise, Shine”
4/1/17

“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 shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

(Isaiah 60:1&2)

Rise and shine! How often we hear these words as we begin a new day. Parents use the phrase in waking children, friends when talking to a lethargic companion early in the day, wives say it to husbands and husbands to wives as a means to start a day on a high note and establish that it is time to proceed with life once more.

Isaiah’s use is for an entire nation, and is intended to convey the start of a new day as well, one of prosperity and peace for his people.

The second part of his statement is, however, the important part of this greeting!

That light that he spoke of has indeed come, and the darkness is defeated for those who have found the light mentioned!

It is once more that light I wish to address in today’s dissertation.

John tells us that Jesus told Nicodemus that most will not find that light:

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought of God.”

(John 3:19-21)

If we are to rise and shine, we need to have a light within us, to have that ability to shine!

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill can not be hid.

 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick: and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."

(Matthew 5:14&15)

Jesus tells us that we are to be that light, not to hide it from those around us, it is to be shared with all, so that that light may be enjoyed and keep others from falling because of the darkness that is so pervasive.

So how do we, rise and shine when the evil and troubles of this world are so apparent, and that very light seems so dim?

We do so by intensifying that light!

A single candle in a dark room provides meager light, enough to guide the one holding it as he wanders from room to room, leaving only the darkness behind him for others without that candle.

If that candle is used to light yet another, then two people have a light with which to navigate the house. 

As more candles are lit, the light becomes brighter, and the path clearer to those in the house.

 If enough candles are lit, the darkness is overcome and clarity becomes the norm instead of the murky darkness that otherwise surrounds that home.

It all begins by lighting the single candle, then using it to ignite others to improve on and spread that light.

If a candle is withheld, and never lit, of what use is that candle?

Eventually, each candle will be extinguished, leaving only the light of those it has lit along the way to continue to provide for the needed light until the darkness recedes, and the light of day once more shines brightly, chasing the shadows from the corners, and removing the possibility of stumbling and falling over objects not seen because of a lack of that light.

The very life you live is the candle that I speak of, either lit, or hoarded, and unlit, causing both you and those with you to stumble and fall because of the greed that refuses to admit the need to recognize that the darkness will overwhelm you if you fail to light the way, and share the light of others as well.

If you claim Christianity, then the light you follow is Jesus, and the teachings he gave us. 

It is not something to be hidden from others, but to be shared. It is not something to bring shame, but something that brings glory... not to you, but to the whole world when that light is followed, lighting the way for all willing to step out of that darkness into the light!

Jesus said that those who are ashamed of Him, here, cannot expect Him to honor them before the Father; those who deny him will also be denied.

Yes, the world in which we live is full of the darkness brought about by the sinfulness that men cling to…most do indeed love that darkness, and will respond only to their own base desires, never finding any light because they refuse to search for it, never facing  Truth, because the lie is so much easier to accept.

They will cling to their denial until they face eternity in the darkness they sought... forever separated from the light and love that is available.

Some will do so only because they were never exposed to the light that could have been found if only it had been shared by those having it.

In summation, it is time to rise and shine! 

It is time to be the light we have been asked to be, share the truth we were asked to share, not only within the confines of the small groups that already have their candles lit, but with as many as we come into contact with, lighting as many candles along the way as possible until our own is burned out and we go to the only light in eternity that will never be extinguished, can never burn down in the least, a light brighter than the sun, in fact making the sun unnecessary, leaving no room for any darkness ever... as is promised in our scriptures.

It is now indeed time to rise and shine… for your children, grandchildren, friends and all those you love. 

It is time to use your candle to ignite theirs, light their path as well as your own as we progress to that promised light, given by Jesus, now and forever, only to those who search for and find it.

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

This is the only match that can ignite that candle, the simple message of redemption through repentance, given us by Jesus throughout his ministry, still the only means of finding and lighting our way today.

Share your light.

 Share His love in all you say and do, despite the human desire to go along to get along.

 Have no fear to shine that light into the corners that would rather remain in darkness, hidden from the view and knowledge of others, so that it can continue to deceive them and keep them in the darkness as well!

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee”

Once more I close with the sincere prayer that all who read or hear this, take heed, if professing Christianity, be who they say they are, speak only the truth demanded of us, pray what they mean, and mean what they pray,  assemble and assist in the lighting of as many candles as are possible to be lit despite the darkness around us.

As for me, I remain the same simple sinner saved by grace through my faith in that light, Jesus himself, secure in the promise given, attempting to carry my own candle and light as many others as possible, always the soldier in service to him, now and forever, waiting the time when my candle is paled by the eternal light that has been promised me.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
The Wayfarer