Speak Lord: Our light

Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come,
the glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though night still covers the earth
and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises
and above you his glory appears.
The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:
all are assembling and coming towards you,
your sons from far away
and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,
your heart throbbing and full;
since the riches of the sea will flow to you,
the wealth of the nations come to you;
camels in throngs will cover you,
and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of the Lord.

Isaiah 60:1-6

Sunday is the feast of the Epiphany. This year, the feast falls on the last but one day of the Christmas Season. (The season itself ends with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, celebrated this year on Monday 9th January).

Isaiah invites us to look around and see the results of God’s invitation to the nations to come close and know his goodness.

• Too often we look for, or at least see and notice, the bad things in our world. What, now, do you see that contains seeds of promise?
• To what do you look to teach you how the world is?
• How do you share your knowledge of good news?

Magi come to Bethlehem. Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. (c) 2016, Allen Morris