Arise and Shine!
Luke 15:1- 32 “I will arise and go…..”
I want to take a closer look at the word ‘arise’. This is the word people use now and then without having to think very deeply. A young child I suppose would understand when you ask him/her to rise.
For you to rise, it either means you were not in an upstanding position or you are not where you need to be at a certain time. It implies that there has to be a positional change. The position you are arising from could be a lying down one, sitting, low levels or general dissatisfaction or a desire to simply have an upward change in position. The Lord shall give us a positive positional change in Jesus Name.
From this passage above, The Lord told us the story of how the younger brother of two siblings took his portion of his dad’s inheritance and went away to a far country. Having been there for a period of time, he squandered the money until he became a pauper, eating what the animals he was caring for would eat. He did this for as long as he could until it dawned on him to arise and go to his father to apologize.
It is one thing to realize that you need to arise. Something must follow that action. No one arises and remains in the same position or even stand still. You have to do something. The prodigal son came to his senses, he arose and what followed? He went to his father.
You and I have to look inwards, examine our lives to see what we need to arise from. It could be a lackadaisical attitude to things generally. Is it a ‘besetting sin’ (Heb. 12:1) as the Bible calls it? It could even be our spiritual, emotional or even financial conditions. What is that thing you are dissatisfied with? It is time for you to arise from it and have an action plan.
The action plan for the prodigal son was to arise and go to his father. What is yours?
It is so amazing to me what followed next. The desire of the son was to ask for forgiveness, then probably his father would hire him as one of his servants. His father gave him more than he anticipated.
The father ran and met the son on the way, made a great feast for him on his return, placed the best robe on him and even shoes on his feet. He was interested in his son’s whole being. His father even gave him a ring to put on. What a beautiful sight! Why don’t you rise up and go to God, your Father and He will meet you on the way to welcome you. I pray the Lord would beautify your life with His goodies just as this son was transformed into beauty. He would give you much more than you deserve or expect.
1 Corinth 2:9 ‘Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him’
John 15:15 ‘I no longer call you servants……..Instead I have called you friends. We shall truly be His friends in Jesus name.
In any area where we have lost the glory of the lord, He is willing to restore us back to glory as we acknowledge our sins and come to Him in humility.
Arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)
I pray that the light of the Lord upon us will cause our faces to shine and we would reflect His glory at all times in Jesus name. Amen.
Prayer:
Oh Lord, Forgive me my wrong doings. I arise and come to you in humble submission, in Jesus name.
