Radiant

Isaiah 60:1-3

All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. (Isaiah 60:3)

WHATEVER BROTHER LAWRENCE HAD, it drew the attention of bishops and dignitaries from far away. Many who visited the monastery in Paris went out of their way to meet the kitchen worker who exuded the presence of God. The low-ranking brother had learned the art of worshiping in high places, and it showed. His gentleness of spirit, simple wisdom, and heavenly attitude were noticeable, even though he served in a hardly notable position.

Brother Lawrence is an example of what it means to live as a “Kingdom outpost” in a foreign land—a carrier of the light of God in dark times. Isaiah had prophesied such radiance, declaring that all nations would come to the light of God through his people as they reflected him. The glory of the Lord rises on his people, and they become the image that draws others in. As carriers of his presence, we have the remarkable privilege of shining in dark places. We live in a world that needs his radiance. As much as we defer to him to show it, he turns the responsibility back to us.

Does that seem overwhelming? It should; it is beyond our ability. But it is not beyond his. Jesus informed his disciples that without him, they could do nothing (John 15:5). That implies that with him, they could do quite a bit—“everything,” as Paul would later write (Philippians 4:13). In fact, we find that in Christ, our responsibility is less about doing than it is about being. His Spirit transforms us from within; what we do always flows from who we are.

Remember that. You are not called to be the light, only to reflect it. Like the glow-in-the-dark toys you once held up to the light to absorb its properties, saturate yourself in the presence of your Lord. Soak up his radiance. When the lights go off, you will shine, not because you try to but because of the person you have become. And those around you will see him.

{Lord, shine on me. Let me soak in your goodness and light. May I radiate your presence, even when those around me don’t understand what it is. May nations and kings, and even my friends, see who you are. Amen.