Have you ever had an appointment to meet someone, and they were a “no show”? It is frustrating because you’ve set time aside to meet with them. You may have even been looking forward to talking and getting together only to find they didn’t have enough interest in you to remember the encounter that was planned.
Do you ever feel like God is not showing up for you? Do you plan to meet with Him and He doesn’t reveal Himself? Are there times when you wanted Him to show up and it felt like He wasn’t there?
There was a time in Israel’s history when they had been in captivity. They had been in bondage because of choices they had made. They were in a state of gloom and despair. The “sky was falling on them”. It was a heavy time in their life. They were bowed down with a load of care and concern. They were sad and discouraged.
Isaiah’s instruction in Chapter 60 begins with the word ARISE. The instruction to those in captivity who had felt like God had not shown up for them, was to ARISE. They were instructed to become full of might, ability, power. They were to stand up to watch for God. They were to move and be steadfast continually up from their “laying down” to “hear with attention”.
The second instruction Isaiah explained was SHINE. He knew the people He was speaking to should get in a position to receive the radiance of light that was about to come. They were to “act to become light” or “to be light”. To “become” means to be suitable or fit for the reception of light. In other words, Isaiah was instructing the people that felt so much gloom to expect to SHINE, to expect to be covered in light.
The third thing the people were told to do was WAIT FOR IT. The people waiting in a position of ARISE and SHINE would see the light of God dawn on them and they would experience the glory of the Lord covering them. When they WAIT FOR IT, they would reflect the excellence, abundance, honor, might, and power of the Lord. Their gloom, depression, loneliness would be removed and the excellence, magnificence, and splendor would be visible because they WAIT FOR IT.
If you feel like God hasn’t shown up for you lately, try taking these three pieces of advice from a well-respected man of God. He declared those who dwelt in great darkness would have a great light shine upon them. It happened for them. It can happen for you too.
These were the three things this man of God recommended all men to do: ARISE (stand up, wake up, listen up, look up); SHINE (prepare to have God radiate your life, cover you, and reveal Himself to you); WAIT FOR IT (don’t let the darkness blind you to the light that is coming, be wise and remain standing and prepared).
Today, if you feel like God has delayed in showing up for you, instead of leaving the scene disappointed and discouraged, resolve to ARISE, SHINE, and WAIT FOR IT. The light of God will shine on you and the glory of the Lord will cover you. He is faithful and He will show up for you!
Written By: Anne Gurley
