Isaiah 60

God sent the first verse of this chapter to me via email from a friend. I immediately wrote it on the white board wall right above my monitor so it was in my peripheral vision. That's what I feel God calling me to do right now. Arise. Shine. God has shown up big so boldly allow the glory of God to shine through me. Allow God's character to shine through me like a beacon. Love and grace and power and mercy and patience and humility.

I can't personalize this passage too much though. Because it wasn't written to me alone. It's to Zion. In the OT that literally means Jerusalem. But in the NT is figuratively means the Church. The body of Christ. It summons us all to rise up together and shine forth God's glory. So although God has said to me today to arise, that's what He really calls the whole Church to do as a whole. Shine.

Another piece that speaks to me is the end where it talks about how this light will outshine the sun and moon. To me I think this means an end to the ups and downs of emotional highs and lows. Recently, I've felt God's presence so clearly that even when faced with adversity or setbacks, it really doesn't faze my faith in God's sovereignty so I stay sunshiny no matter what. I don't really think this is necessarily situational for me but more about a personal closeness to His will.

Read this chapter and see what God has to say to you in it. If nothing else, it's at least a nice detour from Hosea.