"For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you." Isaiah 60:2

Here is a marvelous messianic promise to Israel when they shall embrace Jesus and become a true light to the nations.

Today the world would not weep at Israel's funeral if Satan could arrange such by means of evil dictators. But there will be no funeral, because the God of Israel is the protector of His ancient people and the keeper of His promise to them.

But this verse also has a deep meaning for you and me. Darkness is indeed covering the earth as sin runs its final course before the return of the Lord. And gross darkness—a deep, spiritual blindness—has fallen over the people of the earth as false gods are worshipped by billions liv­ing under Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions of man includ­ing the god of the atheistic West—Materialism!

Yet look at God's guaran­tee to Israel in the future and, to those who love Him, in the "now." The Savior who rose from the dead wants to arise upon us and so consume us with the glory of His presence that others trapped in darkness can see us as His lights. That's why Jesus calls us the light of the world.

You may cry over the darkness of evil all around you, but you must not let it crush you. It takes the night for God to show off His countless stars.

Now He chooses to be seen in us so that family, friends, neighbors and work mates who thirst for meaning to life can both find, and be filled with, the One who is Life!

My prayer: "Father, I pray for that day to come soon when Your glory shall be seen over Jerusalem. But I also pray that from this moment on Your glory might be seen in me so that those in darkness can see a light."

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras