Rise and shine
COMMISSIONER Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women's Ministries, shares the first of her Real Talk articles of 2021. Recognising that the New Year may be a challenging time for some, Commissioner Rosalie encourages us to set our minds on the joy that is already ours in Jesus Christ.
As we have entered this new year of 2021, I have spent precious time seeking wisdom from God. Many words and reflections and feelings have flooded my mind as I dwell on the past year and look to the coming year, but it is the words of Isaiah 60:1-2 that have been deeply important. I pray that they offer something powerful to your heart as I share them with you:
'Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.'
To add some context to this passage, Isaiah had found himself in a world that was living in darkness and which had lost sight of God’s plan for their lives. His words were directing the people to a new light from God that had come into the world. He declared that this invitation to rise up was for all people from all nations, that they may come out of the darkness and reflect this light.
In revisiting Isaiah’s words for myself, I am filled with fresh hope, deeper insight, and great anticipation. Isn’t this prophesy timely, true, and relevant for us today? For many people, 2020 contained much darkness. The year was filled with unprecedented challenges that caused pain, sorrow, distress, loneliness, and fear all across our world. However, we are now called to embrace a new year! We courageously step into 2021 with a faith and confidence that God’s light remains available to those who would receive it. Isaiah’s wake-up call to ‘arise and shine’ is brimming with optimism and confidence. It is a never-ending vision of hope and restoration that goes beyond the people of Israel and reaches out to encompass us and all nations today.
Jesus - the Light - is come! We do not have to hope for this joy or wait for it. It is already here! The light of Jesus is here and shining on us and in us and through us. How liberating that we have been given a promised release from darkness! We simply need to do embrace it, radiate it, and release it. After all, when the light shines, darkness must flee!
So, this year, I am praying that we would rise and shine together, so that we may live confidentally as children of the light! For the Light of our world has come and he has much for us to do. Let us overcome the darkness that surrounds us as we engage in his mission.
Amen.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
World President of Women's Ministries