14 day plan

Living Above the Mess

Day 3 of 14

CSB

Isaiah 60:1-2

The Lord’s Glory in Zion

1Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord shines over you.

2For look, darkness will cover the earth,

and total darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will shine over you,

and his glory will appear over you.

Reflections:  Stand up and reflect Jesus!

Mud sticks to you and covers the light that shines from within you. Today it’s time to arise and shine. Arise means: “stand up”! Today, stand up into all God has for you. Standing up takes strength and action on your part, it takes movement. Have you ever tried to make a child stand when they don’t want to? It’s hard! We must choose to stand. This pinnacle verse in Isaiah is a declaration: stand up out of your past, out of the things that hold you down–arise. But don’t just stand up, shine! This means a quality of brightness produced when light is reflected on something. Isaiah is not saying, “Arise and produce light”. No! He is saying “Stand up and be a mirror to God’s goodness, God’s mercy, God’s grace, Jesus’ love, Jesus’ promises in your family, in your community.” Because the light of life lives in you, be the mirror that reflects him to the world.

Questions:  What are some aspects of your past (or present) that may be ‘mud’ covering you, that you can choose to stand up out of today?

Prayers:  I thank you God that, today, I will arise out of the mess, wash off the mud and reflect you. Send me into places today that need your light and let me shine.

Isaiah 60:1-22

The Lord’s Glory in Zion

1Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord shines over you.

2For look, darkness will cover the earth,

and total darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will shine over you,

and his glory will appear over you.

3Nations will come to your light,

and kings to your shining brightness.

4Raise your eyes and look around:

they all gather and come to you;

your sons will come from far away,

and your daughters on the hips of nursing mothers.

5Then you will see and be radiant,

and your heart will tremble and rejoice,

because the riches of the sea will become yours

and the wealth of the nations will come to you.

6Caravans of camels will cover your land —

young camels of Midian and Ephah —

all of them will come from Sheba.

They will carry gold and frankincense

and proclaim the praises of the Lord.

7All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you;

the rams of Nebaioth will serve you

and go up on my altar as an acceptable sacrifice.

I will glorify my beautiful house.

8Who are these who fly like a cloud,

like doves to their shelters?

9Yes, the coasts and islands will wait for me

with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,

to bring your children from far away,

their silver and gold with them,

for the honor of the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

who has glorified you.

10Foreigners will rebuild your walls,

and their kings will serve you.

Although I struck you in my wrath,

yet I will show mercy to you with my favor.

11Your city gates will always be open;

they will never be shut day or night

so that the wealth of the nations

may be brought into you,

with their kings being led in procession.

12For the nation and the kingdom

that will not serve you will perish;

those nations will be annihilated.

13The glory of Lebanon will come to you —

its pine, elm, and cypress together —

to beautify the place of my sanctuary,

and I will glorify my dwelling place.

14The sons of your oppressors

will come and bow down to you;

all who reviled you

will fall facedown at your feet.

They will call you the City of the Lord,

Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15Instead of your being deserted and hated,

with no one passing through,

I will make you an object of eternal pride,

a joy from age to age.

16You will nurse on the milk of nations,

and nurse at the breast of kings;

you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior

and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17I will bring gold instead of bronze;

I will bring silver instead of iron,

bronze instead of wood,

and iron instead of stones.

I will appoint peace as your government

and righteousness as your overseers.

18Violence will never again be heard of in your land;

devastation and destruction

will be gone from your borders.

You will call your walls Salvation

and your city gates Praise.

19The sun will no longer be your light by day,

and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you.

The Lord will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your splendor.

20Your sun will no longer set,

and your moon will not fade;

for the Lord will be your everlasting light,

and the days of your sorrow will be over.

21All your people will be righteous;

they will possess the land forever;

they are the branch I planted,

the work of my hands,

so that I may be glorified.

22The least will become a thousand,

the smallest a mighty nation.

I am the Lord;

I will accomplish it quickly in its time.