Darkness and evil are rampant in our broken world, but as Christians we are the light bearers. We are responsible, as followers of Jesus Christ, to bring light into the darkness of the world. We are to shine in darkness and bring hope into a gloomy world filled with hate, uncertainty and desperation. Pastor and author Charles Spurgeon once said: “The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! ‘You are the light of the world.’” You may have heard it said that the Church is the hope of the world.
Christians are Ambassadors of Christ on earth and should shine the light of Christ in every corner of the world. We are to lighten the world with our spotless living and lead an exemplary life that shows we are Christ disciples indeed. We should see the need of others and respond to them in love. We are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit prisoners. We are to model Christ-like love to a dying world lost in sin. We are to be moved by compassion to preach Christ and convert sinners on their way to hell and eternal damnation. We are to rescue the perishing souls as the Great Commission Mandate commands us to do. We are to preach Christ to our family relatives and friends who have not known Christ. Every sinner needs a Saviour and Christ is that Saviour.
Christ brings hope to the broken pieces of our lives. Our greatest need is to realise our need of God’s healing. Jesus came to heal our broken lives. It doesn’t matter how deep you have gone in transgressions and sin, Christ is ever ready to redeem you and wash your sins away. Are you going through financial difficulty and it seems that life is hard on you? The good news is that Jesus did not only die for your sin, He also died to rescue you from poverty. You can overcome any difficulty with Christ on your side. Jesus is greater than every hardship; he is victorious over every pain.
It is time to arise and shine! Arise from your brokenness of sin, pain, financial difficulty, depression, sorrow and sinful addictions and shine for your light has come. It is the dawn of a new day. Arise, and shine! This is active, not passive. The Hebrew word for arise literally means, “stand up.” God is saying stand up and shine. Your best days are here. Every day with Jesus makes your life to count meaningfully on earth. Arise and shine for Christ everywhere you go, as an Ambassador of Christ.
This is our mission as Christians — Jesus calls us a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, the light of the world… reflecting God’s presence to the world around us. In Isaiah 60:1-3 it says that as we reflect light, the world is drawn into this great story! As we reflect the light of God’s presence and character in us – the world is drawn to God. The clarion call for every true child of God is to arise and shine. We should stand up, reflect the Saviour of the world, and confront darkness in our world for Christ has given us light.
• Today’s Nugget: Arise and Shine. Prayer: Lord Help me to reflect the light. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. Abel UkachiAmadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.
