Arise! Shine!

What exhuberance those two words sound with!

I am not a morning person. Okay? Let's get that straight. I come from a long line of night owls. However, lately I have come to enjoy the hours between dawn and sunrise, so much so I risk losing sleep. I love the way the sun glows amber light against the clouds, and the way the trees seem to lean toward the light. In fact, light is one of my favorite topics. Light and Peace, those two words say so much using so little.

Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

I recall going to a women's retreat (uhhem) many years ago where this scripture was its theme. I did not count myself that much a Christian at the time, I was trapped in a hole of depression and thought surely God was mad at me. The woman who spoke kept looking my way. Surely I could hide. I stayed quiet, in the back. She kept looking. She kept speaking. I felt as if she were cutting past the crowd, slicing me open and spilling the contents of her message inside my heart. Now, understand, she was not preaching. She was not yelling or condemning. She hardly spoke but a few words.

She read this verse: Arise, Shine, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

We sang that song in the retreat. We said that scripture over and over, yet never before did it have the meaning it had after...

The woman did something unexpected. She looked right at me, and said in a whisper, Come here, love.

Okay, embarassed I went..what else was I supposed to do?

She looked at me, smiled, touched my forehead and whispered--yes whispered...Peace.

I slumped to the floor and cried. For me there was no peace, I said. She sat on the floor beside me and said it again. And she prayed with me until Gods love proved it to me.

Peace.

As if on cue, the sunlight, from the beach sun, shone in a stained glass window. Sure the sun was brilliant. The colors of the stained glass were beautiful. Yet the love of God on that woman's face, was more brilliant than all of the other light.

At that moment, I felt what it was to know Christ, and to feel His love.

Everyone in that retreat felt that light in one manner or another. We all left happy and full of promise and purpose. Was it that woman's doing? No. She simply obeyed God's call to her. She knew what Jesus wanted her to do and she did it. she smiled. She loved. She gave hope. She spoke peace.

Love is profound that way. It doesn't take much to start it. You will know the author of it. There is no escaping its brightness. But the most beautiful part is, when you feel it, others will too. Sometimes it is a lot of work, other times it is very simple.

What is God asking you to do today? Remember, You Are Woman. You can do this. You are God's light. Now get up and smile. Shine to the world, and let them know through your love that one tiny word.

"Peace."

How has God shown his love and light in your life this week?

Dear Jesus, help me to remember your light when........., to be a light for.........and to give peace to..............

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Thank you for reading.
Peace to you!