Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Isaiah 60:1-3 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. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (3)
It is often out of the deepest darkness that the greatest deliverance comes. It was while being forced to labor, crushed under the hand of Pharaoh, that the Israelites were brought out from Egypt. It was while the exiles in Babylon wept that the LORD raised up Cyrus and they returned to Jerusalem. It was when the Romans had conquered the whole known world and the people of God were but a remnant that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
Christ rises to give you hope too when your darkness is seems deepest. When your sin burdens you so heavily; when your relationships with others are strained; when the plans haven't worked out; when sorrow has made itself known; when you think you can no longer wait for His help, He rises up for you like the dawn.
Don't give up the wait! Christ did not fail to come to those who waited long ago. He appeared surely enough--lived, suffered, died, and rose again to declare you righteous and free from condemnation; to make you one of His very own. He will not fail those who wait for Him today, looking expectantly for Him to come to their aid, trusting that He will deliver them when the time is right.
Our Hope and Expectation, O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, Desire of nations, O'er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted, We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption, That brings us unto Thee!
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 72:4)
