Corona Devo 1031

“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.  ~Isaiah 60:1-2  

~~~

I studied this verse the other day, and it struck me.  It plucked at my heart like a guitarist plucking a chord.  It was melodic to me.  It spoke a harmony and hope into my heart, and I felt like it was talking about us--God's people.  It reminded me of our purpose and our responsibility in serving the Lord our God each day.  But how?

Are we shining?  The darkness shrouds and we don't need a Bible verse to tell us that thick darkness is over the peoples.  We know.  We hear the darkness, we see the darkness, and we often feel the darkness in our exchanges with others.  

But more than that, and closer-to-the-heart than that...we too feel the darkness, don't we?  Sometimes we are the ones speaking negativity and darkness.  Sometimes we are the ones representing it in our attitudes, words, and actions.  Some days we exude the darkness, and we know with certainty that we are not shining for Him.

~~~

But we can.  And we are called to.  The Lord has anointed us to.  So, He gives us these verses: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  ~Isaiah 60:1

I read these verses two days ago, and then in a store (with no other "Biblical" references) yesterday, this same verse stared out at me from a mug.  The only Bible verse on a mug in that store...was mine (Isaiah 60:1).  I had studied it the day before and then here it was on a mug: this verse, speaking to me, and speaking to you: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.   ~Isaiah 60:1

I can't deny (and I won't) that in repetitions like these, the Lord speaks.  

And then I met Charlotte.  She was exasperated.  She was frazzled and she was angry.  She was on vacation with her husband and he had a wound that was in stable condition when they left, but that had taken a bad turn into an unstable and infected condition.  She was out-of-town and in many ways (that she shared unhappily with me), she felt that she had been out of luck with the people and assistance she was (not) receiving.  Her husband was now in the hospital, they were far from home, and she was at the end of her rope.

"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.  ~Isaiah 60:1-2

There's nothing special about me (or you), but if we have accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts, then something special becomes of us: the glory of the Lord rises upon us.  

And why would His glory rise over us?  

So that we might arise.  So that we might shine for the Lord.  Why?  Because darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but (never forget!) the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you (Isaiah 60:1-2)....and all of this, is for a purpose: His!

I listened to Charlotte.  I heard her.  I saw her with my heart, and I empathized with her in more ways than she knew.  She felt that (people can).  Then I prayed with Charlotte.  

There's nothing (at all) special about me...but there is something very special when we arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 

The darkness recedes.  It recedes in us and it recedes in others when we shine for Him.  

I saw a tear trickle down Charlotte's cheek as I held her hand and prayed for healing for her husband's wound, and a peace over her heart.  What she is going through...is alot, and God knows that.  

After we closed the prayer, she was softer.  She told me that she and her husband are Believers.  She told me of a kind man that had befriended them and had helped her husband earlier in their trip, in ways that made it possible for them to proceed on their trip.  I reminded her: Jesus.  

She told me of the accommodations that she "didn't even know were available", but that became available for her husband.  I reminded her: Jesus.  

She shared how amazing the health-care people had been/continue-to-be with her husband.  I reminded her: Jesus.  

She thanked me and said that she "needed this".  That she felt "totally different" about her situation now (and I could see that).  She wanted to give the credit to me but I told her...it wasn't anything to do with me...I reminded her: Jesus. 

I have my own shadows of darkness that darken my days and moods, and "color" my reactions.  And we know that others do too.  But, we can also be certain of the calling God has placed on us today, if we will step into it, and when we do: his glory appears over you.  

Charlotte's husband had been in the hospital for two days.  Their combined prayer was that he might be healthy enough to be released to meet her for dinner tonight at 5:30 PM. 

As I sat down  at a restaurant table later for supper with my family, I happened to see them seated at separate table for two.  Jesus.

“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.  ~Isaiah 60:1-2

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com


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