DEVOTION – DAY 409

Isaiah 60:1-3 “Light vs Darkness”

Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

The world we live in is a dark place. In the Bible darkness is often a symbol of gloom, oppression, sin and judgment. It is a fitting description of our world because we see a wide disparity between rich nations and poor nations, between rich citizens and poor citizens. There is much oppression and injustice in this world. In every country, sins have taken a form grip on society. People are naturally selfish and self-seeking. Greed, corruption, and disrespect for the law is common. People know that they are being judged when they face multiple natural disasters and extreme weather patterns. 

As dark as our world may be, Isaiah offered hope. In vv1-3, Isaiah recalled an image that Israel had witnessed during the tome of Moses when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. Every day as they awoke from their sleep and broke camp, they will see a pillar of cloud that was the manifestation of God’s glory leading them. God Himself is seen as the Light. The Light will draw nations and kings to Him. These verse offers us hope that even though the world we live in is a dark place, we have hope in the Lord. He is the Light and answer to all the darkness in this world.

Constance Mary Whitehouse was an Art Teacher in Staffordshire, England in the 1930’s till 1964. She was a committed Christian and she was increasingly concerned by the lack of moral beliefs amongst her students. She realized that the media at that time were promoting bad behavior, bad language and loose sexual values undermining society. Thus, she decided to do something to reverse the decline in Christian values in British society. She left her teaching job and she started a campaign to force the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to be more disciplined in the programs they screened on TV or in the shows they broadcasted on radio. She also campaigned against LGBT rights, permissiveness and declining moral values. Her opponents called her a religious bigot, an intolerant and opinionated busybody. 

Whilst she was certainly divisive, she was determined to protect the next generation from the increasing darkness in UK. She was always trying to stop the decline of good Christian values in her country. She was willing to be part of the light to reveal the darkness she saw as prevalent in the society at that time. 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for being the Light that shines and reveals the darkness in this world. Thank you for drawing us into your marvelous light. Please help us to guard our hearts and minds against the darkness that is of the world. We pray this in the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. What are some examples of darkness in the world you live in that can affect the way you behave and think?
  2. How can you safeguard your hearts and minds from such kinds of darkness?
  3. How can you help your children to know the difference between “light” and “darkness” of this world?
  4. Why is it important that you do not get drawn into the darkness that is of this world?