“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises on you.”
Isaiah 60:1
It’s time. Whatever position you have been in, it’s time to ARISE. It’s time to stand up!
It’s an action. It’s a change of position.
We don’t have time to be passive or to let life pass us by. We can’t afford to let God’s call on our lives, the gifts and assignments for us to lay dormant any longer.
We must change our position – “Arise” this is a call, a request, a command.
It’s time to recognise our time and our calling to arise and shine!
Remember in school when bullies try to intimidate you? What advise would your parents give? “Stand up for yourself! Don’t let them push you, stand up for yourself.”
There is something about standing up that changes your position, your attitude and your influence.
HANNAH
Remember Hannah in the Bible who so much wanted a child? Hannah went through heartache, being ridiculed, mocked and intimidated by Peninah, the other wife of Elkanah. It went on year after year, after year, after year. Until the time came when after it happened all over again the ridicule and torment from Hannah’s rival that Hannah had, had enough and she changed her position. When Hannah was sat at the table she, ‘stood up’ went into the temple to pour out her heart to the Lord, seek His face and get an answer. Hannah received her answer.
Like Hannah, whatever is happening in our lives that is hard and lasting a long time, we need to come to the point of ‘enough is enough,’ to stand up and go into the Presence of God, to seek His face, pour our hearts out to Him and get our answer, our word from God. The word the Lord gives you in that time you hold on to it, trust and believe it. That is God’s word for you that you treasure, nurture and run with. Then, Hannah shone with joy and peace with the promise of God’s word.
RUTH
Ruth is a character I love in the Bible, she shows such character that we can learn a lot from. Ruth’s ‘Arise, shine’ time was a journey, a life time.
Ruth arose, went with Naomi showing to her love and loyalty. Ruth in diligence got up each day and went out to work in the field. God gave her favour. Ruth was faithful and diligent every day and obedient to Naomi. Through this God divinely led Ruth to her Kinsman Redeemer, Boaz. Her life journey of arising and shining, Ruth is known as a woman of noble character – Ruth’s life shining with Kingdom qualities seen and observed by people around her.
These qualities – Loyalty, diligence, faithfulness and obedience, are what we need when we stand up to do what God asks and calls us to do.
This journey of arising and shining is where we stick to what God has called us to and we don’t jump out when it gets hard and difficult. God will lead you to your breakthrough, He will cause the fruit to come, He will open the door, make a way for what He has for you. This will affect your future and you will do something significant for God’s Kingdom.
ESTHER
Esther, had to stand up for her people, go to the King and save them from disaster.
Esther was an orphan, a beautiful girl and she had a wise uncle, Mordecai, who cared for her. The beauty treatment program that Esther went through lasting twelve months before she would go to the King was long and thorough. She gained favour with Hegai who helped her and Esther also won favour with everyone who saw her. Then we read how she won the favour and approval from the King and he chose Esther to be his queen.
Now that Esther is chosen to be queen, she now has access to the King, the high power. Esther was in a position and place where she could go to the King.
There are times when we need to stand up for God’s Kingdom and it is a risk, it isn’t easy, it is scary. Esther understood the need and she realised the risk, so she prayed and fasted asking others to join with her.
I believe when Esther prayed and fasted, God gave her the strategy and wisdom how to deal with this situation, that was risking her life, then she stood up and approached the King.
Esther was born and set up for this moment – to save God’s people from being destroyed.
We are born and set up for this time to stand up and be a voice where we are and to show people around us the way of salvation.
It’s through prayer and fasting that God reveals to us the strategic plans how to reach out to people around us for Jesus.
Isaiah 60 says, ‘Arise, shine for your light has come and THE GLORY OF THE LORD RISES ON YOU.’
What is God’s glory that is on us?
God’s glory is His holiness, His greatness, His beauty, His favour and His power!
So, God’s beauty, holiness, favour, power and greatness rises on us and is on us!
So that, we can arise, we can stand up, we can shine, we can be a voice where we are in our families, in our work place, in our cities, towns and communities – because His glory is on us, bringing open doors, extraordinary favour and opportunities that we need to take hold of with both hands.
So we arise, we shine, for our light has come and His glory rises on us.
