Leslie and Laurel meet up at the airport.

Scripture

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. Isaiah 60:1

For Zion ‘s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem ‘s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. Isaiah 62:1

Observation

Do we have any idea how much the Lord wants his people to shine their brightest? It started with his work in Jerusalem . It pulses through the centuries of the church. Jesus wants his people to a be high wattage lighthouse on a dark and stormy planet. There is nothing he will withhold to see that happen.

What is a stage and a spotlight without a star? There is a spotlight for the church to stand in for the entire world to see. What is needed are restless and relentless pastors who call God’s people to take center stage and stand in the light they have been given.

Application

I want to be a leader that calls God’s people out of the shadows and into the light. The local church must be attractive. What does it mean for the church to light up in our contemporary world?

We need to love Jesus again.

We need to become people of one book.

We need to live the life before correcting the world.

We need to love people more than anything else other than God.

The world will become what we choose to be.

Prayer

Father it is time for your church to shine. Put into me what is in Jesus, for the hour is dark and lights are fading. Let my voice be one that reminds your people of what they are good at. Remind us again how to shine. Amen.