I thought I would be writing about Psalm 118 today.

Instead, I was pulled rather firmly back to Isaiah.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1

There’s something sacred about that first word — arise.

It’s not whispered. It’s a call to stand up. To lift your head when everything around you feels heavy. To step out of the ashes, the waiting, or the weariness you’ve been sitting in. The Hebrew word means to be established — to take your rightful place. It’s resurrection language. It’s God saying, “Get up, my child. I’m doing something new.”

And then comes shine.

Not perform. Not prove. Just shine. The light isn’t something you have to generate — it’s something you reflect. Like the moon catches the sun, you simply mirror the glory that’s already rising on you. The glory of the Lord doesn’t demand effort — it simply asks for availability. When His presence fills you, you can’t help but radiate Him.

And then — this line that always stills my heart — “For your light has come.” Not will come. Not might come someday when you’ve finally got it all together.

It’s already here. The dawn has already broken. The Light has come — His name is Jesus — and His presence in you is proof that the darkness doesn’t get the final word.

Isaiah wrote those words to a people coming out of devastation — exiles returning to ruins. It was God saying, My presence is returning. My favor hasn’t forgotten you. My glory still chooses you. And it still speaks today.

Because when His glory rises upon you, it changes everything. The Hebrew word for “glory” — kabod — means weight, substance, presence. This isn’t just a glow; it’s His very being resting on you. And when that happens, you can’t stay in the same place. You can’t stay silent. You can’t stay small.

And then Isaiah 60:2–3 continues, “Darkness shall cover the earth… but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. Nations will come to your light.”

That’s the part that wrecks me every time.

Because your rising isn’t just for you. It’s for someone else’s breakthrough.

When you get up, someone else finds their way.

When you shine, someone else sees hope again.

When you let His glory rest on you, the world around you starts to believe light is still possible.

So if you’re tired, if the weight of the world has kept you low — hear it again with your spirit:

Arise. Shine. Your light has already come.

The glory of the Lord is resting on you right now.

Thank you, Jesus. 💜✝️💜