Arise, shine, for thy light is come!

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 

-Isaiah 40:9

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 

- Isaiah 60:1

I love these verses. They remind me of 2 Peter 1:19:  “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

There was much to think about in this meditation about light and bearing witness to that light. But I was especially struck by this paragraph:

We must be rigorous about loving the Lord our God , with all our mind. Why? Jesus commanded it. True, we will not be saved by our intellectuality. But our intellects are to be saved from meaninglessness. What a deliverance! The rational is also redeemed. “Lift up your hearts.” That is a true call to worship. Lift up your head also. That is Christian obedience.

“O, God, I offer thee my heart -

In many a mystic mood, by beauty led,

I gave my heart to thee. But now impart

That sterner grace – to offer thee my head.”

McCabe