Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
What is it that makes you different? I’m not talking about your eyes or hair or the way you look. It’s an intangible that people just know something’s different about you. It’s a quality that God’s people possess.
Our passage today in Isaiah refers to it. There’s a light, a glory, upon you that you probably don’t see when you look in the mirror. Verse 2 declares that there is a darkness that covers the earth and a deep darkness that hovers over the people of the earth. But not you…you have light. It reminds me of the story in Exodus chapter 10 when the plague of thick darkness covered the land. But not so in Goshen where the people of God were dwelling. There was light upon them.
It’s all about distinction. It’s not about being better or superior. It is about being God’s people conspicuously. We are people of light. We are called to be people of the day (1 Thessalonians 5:5). 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Isaiah 60:5 says that we will become radiant. That is not about a future glorious state of existence but a real present day life. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” It’s time to shine!