Transformed by Light: Arise and Shine!
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you… In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (Isaiah 60:1, John 1:4)
Happy New Year to You! I am excited about this new season in which we should all look forward to see progress in different aspects of our lives – even God hates stagnation! The exciting thing is that God has shed his bright light to energize and show the way forward to those who receive Him. Just like it excites the black soldier fly, and just like it excites the stomata and facilitates photosynthesis, God’s light is here for productivity and progress.
The beginning of the year comes just after the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, in which we are reminded of our faithful God’s fulfilment of His great promise. We are strengthened in our faith as we stand on God’s unfailing promises indeed. Prophet Isaiah in chapter 60 declares: “your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.” In this chapter there is commenced a most glowing and beautiful description of the ‘golden age’ under the Messiah, adorned with the highest ornaments of poetry; the future glory of the church is displayed under the most splendid colors, and with every variety of imagery. While introducing Jesus Christ in his first chapter, John writes: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). This year we especially celebrate the transforming light God sent through His Son Jesus Christ.
Where is the darkness? Where is the problem? There are pockets of despair, dejection and sadness in every direction you turn. The devil tries hard to put out or obscure God’s light. Edward Gaamuwa has written a beautiful book entitled “Exposing Satan, Protecting the Faith”, and there he makes a controversial but correct analysis: While Satan is depicted, much of the time, as an ugly, shapeless, dark figure, with horns and queer features, on the contrary, the truth according to the scriptures is that Satan is “beautiful and wise” – a model of perfection – as described in Ezek 28:12-17. No wonder he camouflages as an angel of light yet he is God’s enemy and his mission is to make people rebel against God. But he cannot put out God’s light.
The good news is that in Jesus is life, and that life is “the light of all mankind”. Light exposes wrong elements and causes them to flee. Light excites and brightens the mood. Light transforms for the much better, and we thank God for His divine provision. My one prayer this year is that our God-given resources will benefit His people to the fullest; that the stealing and misappropriation of public and university resources will be curtailed; and that each of you will shine we will all enjoy God’s blessings of growth and progress to the fullest. Arise and shine, for your light has come!
God bless you all.