Let the Light of Christ Shine

When you have left the darkness of sin and have begun to live by the light of Christ, look what happens. The light of Christ that shines on us and in us, will also shine through us and out of us and from us, bringing others to Christ. Follow the positive progression of Isaiah 60:1-3: "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you" (v. 1). "But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you" (v. 2b). "The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising" (v. 3).

This means three things: First, we should live without the darkness of sin. We are in the light, not in the darkness. So we should not live in the darkness of sin any longer. Second, our life should be the opposite of that. We are in the light. So we should live a life of righteousness as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Our lives should be full of the fruit of the light of Christ: "all goodness, righteousness, and truth" (Eph. 5:9). Third, the light of Jesus should be obvious in us. People should be able to look at us and see the light and radiance of Christ within us. When they do, they will be drawn to the Lord. As Isaiah said, "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn" (v. 3, NIV).

What happens is that those without Christ see that we have something they do not have. They see the light of the glory of Christ within us and they come to us for a closer look. By the grace of God, we become the light of Christ to the world. When people see someone living out their faith, they are attracted to it. It is a beautiful thing to see because it is a blessed life. Such a life of righteousness in Christ draws people to Him. We are called to live that type of life. Let the light of Christ shine through you and see others begin to come to Christ.

We must let the light of Christ shine through us to provide light for those who are lost so they can find their way to heaven. Without the light of Christ shining through us, our neighbors and friends who do not know Christ will stumble in their search for peace. Think, for a moment, of the plight of those unreached by the gospel. Millions do not know anything but spiritual darkness because no one has shared with them the light that has come into the world. Would you take that challenge?

When Isaiah wrote these words, he spoke of a great hope, a hope that reaches through the ages to us. He spoke of Christ and the hope of salvation. He spoke of the hope of a changed life that would attract others to Jesus. Grab hold of that hope and let the light of Christ shine in you. Let the light of Christ be reflected in your life. Amen.