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
What a picture of God saying, “I’m going to shine on you as my people in the middle of a dark world in such a way that nations and kings will be drawn to the light they see in you.”
Isaiah 60:1–3 calls us to let our lights shine in this world.
I was overhearing a conversation the other day between a couple of unbelievers, so people who don’t know Jesus, and they were talking about this couple who does know Jesus, and this couple recently moved away and the unbelievers were saying how much they missed this couple. They were talking about how this couple just shined in such a way that when they moved, these unbelievers were in tears. And they were talking about how sad they were and how much they missed them. They just kept going on and on and on, just talking about who they were.
And I thought, “Wow, what a picture of God’s grace in that couple’s life.” And I was convicted. I thought, “Okay, the people I’m around, am I living in such a way that there’s just light shining from my life?” In a Matthew 5:16 kind of way, “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds,” see your goodness and grace flowing from your relationship with God in ways that lead them to give glory to God in heaven. And I should mention this couple was unapologetic about their faith. They were clear about their love for God and their love for Jesus, and they were so loving to the people around them. They were such a blessing to the people they spent time with.
Isaiah 60:1–3 reminds us that people should be drawn to Christ through our lives.
And so I just want to encourage us today, one, to realize we as the people of God have the grace and mercy in light of God shining on us, the glory of God shining upon us. We’re in a relationship with God through Jesus. Obviously, it doesn’t mean everything is perfect in our lives. We’re not perfect and everything’s not perfect in our lives, but we know God. We’re walking with God. We have the Holy Spirit of God living inside of us. So yes, our lives should shine the light of God’s grace and God’s goodness to the people around us in ways that people are drawn to our God, are drawn to Jesus, through our lives.
Let’s pray for that. God, we praise you for your favor in our lives. Oh, the thought that your light has shined upon me, and your Spirit lives in me and that you’ve saved me from my sin. That you’ve called my name, that I’m in a relationship with you. And not just me, all of us who are praying right now, who know you. I praise you for your favor that rests upon us, for the light we have in a dark world. When we walk through dark times, we have the light of your truth, your promises, your love for us, and your persevering power in us.
This verse reminds us to ask God for the power to be faithful witnesses.
When we walk through good times, we have the light of your grace reminding us of your good gifts in our lives. So help us, we pray then… To shine in this dark world in ways that people see our lives, see our deeds, hear our words, see our actions, see our love for one another. And for others who are not in the church… Those who are not in Christ right now… In such a way that when they see us, they will be drawn to you. God, we pray for that. Help us to live like that today, tomorrow, every day. And help us to be unapologetic about our faith… To point people to you as the source of light in us.
Prayer for the Khatri People
And God, we pray that nations and kings would be drawn to your light on your people, where we live and around the world. God, we pray for the Khatri people of India… For all 3 million of them in darkness, without the knowledge of your love in Jesus. Lord, please draw the Khatri people of India to the light of Jesus through your church… Through your church going to the Khatri people… For Indian brothers and sisters sharing the gospel with the Khatri people, through missionaries from other nations going to the Khatri people.
God, we pray that you would draw that nation, that people group, to your light… And every other nation and people group in the world. God, shine on us as your people for the spread of your glory to all peoples. We pray according to your Word in Isaiah 60:1–3. In Jesus’ name, in the name of the light of the world who lives in us. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
