This past Sunday’s message, “Arise and Shine,” was a call to wake up to who God has made us to be and to step into the moment He has placed us in. The words of Isaiah 60:1 ring as both a promise and a command: “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”

There are seasons when it feels easier to stay seated, comfortable, cautious, waiting for conditions to improve. But God’s call is not to wait for perfect circumstances. His call is to arise. To stand up in faith. To lift our eyes beyond what we see and recognize that His glory is already at work in and around us.

Darkness may still be present in the world, but Isaiah goes on to say that while darkness covers the earth, the Lord rises over His people. That means darkness is not the final word. God’s light doesn’t need permission from the culture or confirmation from circumstances. When His light comes, it shines, quietly at times, boldly at others, but always powerfully.

To arise means we refuse to stay stuck in fear, disappointment, or passivity. It means we stop letting yesterday define today. Arising is an inward decision before it ever becomes an outward action. It’s choosing faith over fatigue and obedience over excuses.

To shine means we allow what God has placed inside of us to be seen. Jesus told His followers that no one lights a lamp and hides it. The light within you is not meant to be private or dimmed. It’s meant to bring clarity where there is confusion, hope where there is despair, and warmth where there has been coldness. Shining doesn’t mean drawing attention to ourselves; it means reflecting the glory of God in how we live, love, and serve.

At Grace Church, this message is timely. God is calling us not only to rise personally, but to shine corporately, to be a people who live with spiritual alertness and bold faith. The world doesn’t need more noise; it needs light. And the light of Christ shining through a surrendered life is still as powerful today as it has ever been.

If you’ve felt weary, overlooked, or uncertain about your purpose, hear this clearly: God has not forgotten you. The light has come. The glory of the Lord is upon you. This is not the time to shrink back. This is the time to rise up.

So let’s arise from complacency. Let’s shine with compassion. Let’s live in such a way that others see God’s goodness not just in what we say, but in how we walk it out every day.

The light is already here.

Now is the moment to arise and shine.

In His light and strength,

Pastor Chris Tullis

Grace Church