Shine Bright

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

-Isaiah 60:1-3

We, His delivered and redeemed children, are a display of His essence, His glory. We can shine as lights because He has first shone on us. God’s Nature is radiant, and those in the Bible who have glimpsed God describe His presence as an immense light, too powerful to approach (1 Timothy 6:15-16).  And God has told us that He has imparted to us, His children, some of that light so that we might arise and shine for Him, displaying to the world His love, grace, mercy, character, and will. We were not saved to be covered or put on a shelf; we were saved to walk in the light and shine brightly so that all others may see God and come into right relationship with Him through salvation by Jesus Christ.

Chosen

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

 1 Peter 2:9

We have been chosen to be a witness and a testament to God's loving mercy and grace. We have been called out of the darkness so that others may know what it looks like to be brought from darkness into light, a testament to Christ’s saving power. Others should be able to see the difference between who we were in the darkness and who we are now in the light. They should be able to see this, and it should move them to seek God. Our lives should be a proclamation of praise to Him, honoring Him in the way we think and what we establish on this earth. The actions and desires of our heart, do they seed light or do they seed darkness? Do they bring people to want to know Christ in His suffering, or does it make them want to turn away and call it all hypocrisy? We have been chosen to shine and ignite a fire in others, not to smother or cast darkness.

Illuminate

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

-Philippians 2:14-15

When we walk in the fruit of the Spirit, we illuminate the world around us; they see the love, power, care, and grace of God in our actions. That's why, in Philippians, Paul encourages us not to go around complaining or unnecessarily causing arguments, because it gives the world a reason to find fault with the body of Christ. We live in a world that's filled with crookedness and perversion, and as children of God, we should be portraying something that's totally different than what is found in the world. There should be gratitude and humility, and a knowing that we serve a God and have a Father who immensely loves us, cares for us, and moves on our behalf. It's not about getting all the things we want and desire and making our flesh feel appeased and seen. But being a light that shows the character and care of Christ to the world when all around there is darkness.

Stay in the Light

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

 1 John 3:7-9(NIV)

We must beware that the flesh is familiar with darkness and even craves it. We, as believers, must choose daily to stay in the light, even when urged to drift toward darkness. We should desire and appreciate the light, and if we struggle with this desire, we should ask God to deliver and heal us from those things that would cause us to look and even walk away from the warmth of His presence and love. God has planted a seed of His Spirit in us so that we would bear the fruit of His Spirit, not continuing in feasting on the desires and lust of the flesh, which lead us into sin.

” For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. “

Ephesians 5:8

So, what does a child of the light do? They commune with the Father just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden, spending time and connecting. Children yield their lives to honoring and serving the Father, not just with deeds but with consistent and moral character. In this, honoring and service come from a place of love and intimacy, not just obligation and status. We are His beloved children, whom He blesses and keeps,  and we should reciprocate that love by honoring Him with the lives we live on this earth.

“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the ^[d]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

Revelation 2:4-5

God warned the churches in Revelation that they had moved away from loving Him and had depended on acts of service as a replacement for an actual, intimate, and deep relationship and connection. This lack of connection caused them to drift morally and spiritually, and He warned that He would remove that lampstand from amongst them (He would remove the source of illumination and anointing), not because they were not doing the works of God, but because they were no longer functioning out of love for God.

Walking in the Light, with a repentant soul, and shining bright, it is not about how much we can get done or accumulate while on this earth. It is about guarding, nurturing, and delighting in the connection with God that enables us to get things done and to prosper in various areas of our lives. God wants to see us being a blessing and impacting the world around us, but that does not change His initial desire and will for us, which is to be in intimate connection and relationship with each of His children.

God does not just give love (1 John 4:16); He is love. Jesus does not just give life; He is life (John 14:6). Jesus doesn't just share truth; He is truth (John 14:6). Jesus is not a way but the Way (John 14:6). God does not just share light; He is light (1 John 1:5). When we are connected to God, we are automatically connected to the Source of all the things we need to prosper on this earth and to realize the next. So, the encouragement to walk in the light is not a call to works but is a call to love and be loved, and through that connection, our lives are illuminated, and people are blessed.

Shine bright, for God has shone His love and grace on you.