Life is short: Make every second count.

Is 60:1:  "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

This positive, exciting invitation to do meaningful things with our short time on this earth means at least three things.

Firstly, we should rise from sin’s darkness and arrive at a place where the glory of God gives light to our ways and plans. Those who arise and shine leave the space of the children of darkness in every aspect of their lives. Make every second count by living in the Light!

Eph 5: 8 -12: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.“

Secondly, it means that as children of light of the Lord, our lives should be full of the fruit of his holy light: goodness, righteousness and truth, faith, grace, compassion and faithfulness, and above all, Jesus-love.  Make every second count by living in the Light!

Thirdly, the light of Jesus will under all circumstances be visibly manifested in our lives. People should be able to look at us and see the light of Christ in us. This is how Isaiah puts it:

(Is 60:3) “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”  Make every second count by living in the Light!

For those who do not know Jesus Christ our lives must show that we own something really special that they do not have. They must see the glorious light of God’s presence in Christ in our lives, become curious and become willing “to arise, shine and come to our light”. Even kings, leaders, people with influence and authority will come to the “brightness of our dawn”. Because we carry in us the light that divine and godly Jesus brought into the world.

This is the thing:  reflect the light of Christ and show others the way to God and to heaven, because you carry the Light of the world wherever you go!  May we never hide it when we can help someone who lost their “map to return to God” and show them the way back.

Make every second count by living in the Light!   Arise and Shine!