Light and Glory

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (v. 1). Arise. Shine. Light. Glory.

We all want light in our lives, especially during these dark winter days.

But what about glory? The prophet Isaiah tells us that “the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (v. 1). Just exactly what is glory, and where can we find it?

Glory is majestic beauty and splendor, such as the glory of bright stars on a crystal-clear winter night. We say that we give someone glory for producing a gorgeous work of art. We sometimes experience glory as a bright and powerful light, such as when shepherds were living in fields around Bethlehem, and “an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:9).

But the simplest and clearest definition of glory is offered by Christian writer Frederick Buechner: Glory is God’s style. When the Bible tells us that “the heavens are telling the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), it is saying that the heavens are revealing God’s style: sunsets, starry nights, majestic mountains, rainforests, the human face — all, says Buechner, are “unmistakably the work of a single hand.” God’s style.

On the Day of Epiphany, God’s style was revealed to the world when the wise men made their visit to the baby Jesus. Matthew tells us that they followed a bright star to Bethlehem, and “on entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage” — they gave him glory (Matthew 2:11). The wise men were the first to see that Jesus reveals the grace and love of God to the world in a bright and unmistakable way. He is a child who grows up to show God’s style in everything he says and does.

So Epiphany is all about the glory of God being revealed to the world. But what is the effect of this glory on us? Light, beauty, splendor and style don’t mean much unless they have a positive effect.

Research shows that glory is good for you. Being a fan of a sports team, in particular, can have positive effects. Researchers found that after a win, fans were more likely than usual to wear hats and shirts connected to the winning team. They claimed credit for the team’s success through the pronouns they used in conversation, describing the team as “we” instead of “they” — as in “We are the champions!” In addition, research has found that sports fans tend to remember victories much more clearly than they remember defeats.

Studies reveal that being a fan of a sports team can ward off depression and feelings of alienation (unless you are a Buccaneers fan, of course). Rooting for the home team can build a sense of belonging and self-worth. Much of this is due to the strong bonds that develop among fans, but sports worship also provides individuals with strategies for overcoming emotional challenges. Good things come from “basking in reflected glory.”

Isaiah was writing to God’s people in a time of deep darkness, one that was even gloomier than a January night. He promised that although thick darkness was covering the people, something good was about to happen: “The Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you” (v. 2).

Yes, Israel’s situation was very much like a team that’s down six points with three seconds on the clock. But God tells Israel to look for a successful Hail Mary pass! Glory!

Of course, we know that God did not enter human life as a quarterback with a golden arm. God appeared as a vulnerable baby, with a mother and a father on the run from evil King Herod. Isaiah sensed how God was going to come to earth, which is why he said, “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (v. 3).

But what happens to us when we experience this glory?

We discover that Jesus is the light of the world.

On the Day of Epiphany, we remember the coming of the light of Christ into the world, a light that drives away the darkness of sin, isolation and despair. With Jesus, we have the gift of forgiveness whenever we fall into destructive behavior or wander into dark ways of life. With Jesus, we have the gift of Christian connection — with Christ and with each other — whenever we become isolated or alienated from others.

Jesus also gives us the promise of everlasting life, which can ward off depression. “You shall see and be radiant,” promises Isaiah; “your heart shall thrill and rejoice” (v. 5). When the light of Christ illuminates our lives, we realize that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

But Christ’s light does more than make us feel good. It also changes our attitude toward the world around us. In the early 1960s, the Christian author C.S. Lewis said to the Oxford Socratic Club, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Jesus helps us to see the world in a new light, one that reveals that the people around us are not enemies or opponents. They are human beings made in the image and likeness of God. The light of Christ gives us strategies for navigating challenges, such as forgiving instead of punishing, and working for the common good instead of our narrow self-interest. Jesus invites us to see ourselves not as members of a particular family or community or nation, but as citizens of the glorious kingdom of God.

When we walk in the glory of the light of Christ, we discover that the goal of our lives is not to earn the most money, win the most awards, close the most deals or accumulate the most possessions. Instead, it is to be the authentic men and women that God created us to be. The goal of our lives is to be full human beings, standing in the presence of our loving Lord.

When we experience the light of God and are covered with the glory of God, we cannot help but arise and shine.

Imagine that you’re watching your favorite football team with friends. You all have drinks in your hands and popcorn in your laps. You’re six points down and have the ball on your own 10-yard line.  It’s the fourth quarter. Time is running out.  There are just seconds left in the game.

Then, suddenly, inexplicably, the quarterback throws a screen pass.  The receiver reaches the 20, and then, with a head and shoulder fake, he’s at the 30. He zigs and he zags. He eludes a tackle, and cuts in the opposite direction and makes it to the 40. Seeing an opening, he scoots to the 50, and then it’s a foot race to the end zone 50 yards away.

Only one defender can possibly reach him. The question is whether your guy still has gas in the tank. It’s going to be close. And then at the 3-yard line, less than 10 feet from the goal line, he trips. Sensing that he’s going down, he uses one leg to leap forward, stretching high and long, the football in his hands. He falls on the goal line and the ball is in the end zone.

At what point of this 90-yard pass play did you arise and shine?

Nobody, no true fan, could watch this without standing up and hollering. Impossible.

No person could fail to leap to their feet and start screaming at the television — an inanimate object!

When the glory of the Lord is upon us, there’s no way we are sitting on our hands. Truth is, popcorn’s going to be all over the place. We will shout from the housetops.

God has come to us. Our salvation is here!

So, arise and shine – for the light and glory of God are upon us!