Section 4: Waiting for the Light
For centuries, humans have witnessed the natural beauty of this earth. The sun lights the sky, with hues of orange and red as it sets over the horizon. The moon, full and bright, hovers above the shimmering ocean—pulling its waves towards it. The day-and-night rhythms of the sun’s and moon’s illuminations have been our reality since creation. It’s hard to imagine a time when they won’t be part of our existence. But today’s readings point us towards our future reality: one day, we will step into a new rhythm of life, with a new source of light.
“The LORD will be your everlasting light” (Isaiah 60:19).
In Isaiah 60, God gives us a vision of what our future will look like when He returns. We’ll no longer be tethered to the solar and lunar cycles of this world. Instead, the Lord Himself will be light for us (v.19). That light speaks to more than just the physical, but it represents God’s character—including His holiness and righteousness. And as a redeemed people who will be fully transformed when Jesus returns, we will perfectly embody His righteousness.
The seemingly stranger-than-fiction imagery from today’s readings can be hard to picture in our current surroundings, where we witness so much sin and corruption. But these scriptures, these truths, contain the hope of Advent. Our future selves will experience the wonders of a new heaven and a new earth, absent from the grief and pain that cause tears. And we will inhabit an eternal city, bursting with glorious, divine light—full of beauty, goodness, and truth.
Advent isn’t just a season; it’s an attitude. As we step into a new year, we carry the anticipation of Jesus’s return along with us. Knowing what is in store for us gives us a deep, abiding joy that surpasses any situation. As those who belong to God’s kingdom, we are people of light. In the midst of a dark world, we can let the hope that the gospel brings shine in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
Today’s passages from Isaiah and Revelation remind us that good things are coming, and Scripture’s glimpses of our future guarantee that it’s worth the wait. As we move out of this season of Advent, we continue to anticipate, contemplate, and celebrate this truth: one day, our transformed bodies will inhabit a new, eternal city, marked by the light and presence of our forever King (Revelation 21:22).
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56 thoughts on "The Everlasting Light"
God is the light of the world. Eternal light.. choose to follow him. The issue is between light and darkness. I got to continuously prepare myself to meet him on the other side.. I chose to follow him..
Thank you Jesus
Lord we thank you
Blessings lord all my hope is in you lord
I admittedly have struggled to connect deeply to this study – probably partially because the last month has felt so busy, chaotic, distracting…But this last day really brought things home for me and gave me a new perspective on my eternal future, and how that can shape my life here on earth. I am comforted by the tree of life’s leaves healing the nations, breaking curses. That literal and figurative darkness will be no more and we will not need any source of light other than the Lord. Hallelujah! I was absolutely struck by Tameshia’s encouragement that “Advent is not just a season, it’s an attitude.” Wow! I love Advent so much (like Annie F. Downs said on the podcast a few weeks ago, I’m a woman of anticipation) and often struggle with feeling “the blues” once Christmas Day is over. Tameshia’s perspective that this very anticipation is one we can and should carry with us year-round so that we can have joy that surpasses any situation or circumstance…it just gives me so much to chew on. And encourages me to look at the entire year with the perspective I have during Advent. Happy New Year, She’s. May His favor be upon you in 2022. ❤️
Praying for your son Indiana Elaine to totally recover.
Indiana Elaine – praying for your son, his family and you.
Hospital workers, from the cleaning staff to the doctors, praying for you too
Looking for the Blessed Hope of Jesus’ return…until then my prayer is for abiding jot
Happy new year, dear sisters! God has blessed all of us who are on the server with the luck to live another year
While I was browsing reddit this morning, I saw a question that said:”How was 2021 for you personally?’ I like to be open about my life, so I’ll say it has been my happiest year yet! I have complete returned back to being Christian. And with God, I have become a better person. I was about to be bitter.. but God really did save me. Not only that, but I have thrown away my plans for the future so I can do what God wants. Can’t wait for my conversion to Catholicism to happen… 2021, for me, simply was the year I returned back to faith.
I only hope that 2021 has been great for you, dear sisters. May God always be our guiding light. I love you
I am a faithful reader here for about 3 years. I have commented very few times, but enjoy reading all the comments.
Thank you, Tina, for your words today.
“God is in the mix and He will make all things new..
He will restore. He will renew.”
This New Years Eve, I sit here with tears as my son lays in the hospital with Covid pneumonia. He is a believer, but has two small daughters that need him so much. Each night they FaceTime him and say their prayers. Today they said the infection markers are high, ICU high, but because he is feeling fairly good and they turned down the oxygen today, they are monitoring him very closely. Please pray that he is able to stay out of ICU. I am praying for the light of Jesus to heal his body.
So many relatives are sick right now with Covid. Our frontline workers need our prayers. May God bless you in the New Year.
These Advent readings have brought to mind the song by the Gettys called “Glorious Light”
“Glorious LIGHT see the dawn of salvation,
Angels in white fill the sky with their wondrous song,
Awakening earth with news of His birth
Join the hymn of the highest heavens.
Long has the world fought the song of the angels,
Heavenly music is drowned by a warring world,
Yet hope burns a LIGHT that shatters the night,
Turn your heart to the call of glory.
There is a day all creation has longed for,
When all of time has been spent and the Lord returns,
His so g we’ll repeat as Heaven completes,
Promised peace that will fill the nations.
Glory to God in the highest,
Peace to men on earth,
Come and adore Him with wonder,
Christ, Lord of Heaven and Earth.
I have to admit that I haven’t always looked forward to Christ’s return. It’s not that I don’t want to see him face to face, it’s just this world is all that I have known and there are things I want to accomplish for him before I die.. It’s so hard for my mind to comprehend a perfect place that I live in forever. But reading these verses and really understanding how broken and dark this world can be, makes me long for heaven. Happy New’s Eve ladies!!
I feel
The encouragement and reminder of what is awaiting us all one day is such a positive attitude to be given as we head into the new year!
Lord we lift your name on high! We love to sing your praises!
You came from heaven to earth, to show the way, from the earth to the cross, our debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky!!!! Lord we lift your name on high!!!! Always waiting with our eyes turned heavenward.
Thankful for this forum!
I’m not a very patient person. Waiting for this time to come seems so hard. And yet I cling to this hope. Angie thank you for sharing your family member’s Christmas card yesterday. And CeeGee praise Him indeed! All the prayers are still needed, yesterday I just felt overtaken by sadness out of nowhere looking at all the baby items we have amassed and feeling so excited for this one to come- the last time I felt this excited was after the first positive pregnancy test before the seven week ultrasound showed old baby had actually died and the whiplash of excitement to grief was so much for me to bear. This time around I heard God telling me not to dwell on that event that He would do something new and I firmly believe that He will. I have no idea where the sadness yesterday came from but I need prayer that the enemy does not steal the joy of these last few months of pregnancy and that God’s will will come to pass. Thank you all for a great study and a transformative year. I look forward to seeing what God does in each of our lives in 2022. Tina- praying for your friend and her baby.
I appreciate the encouragement here! ❤️
as we enter this new year, i pray that all of us would be kingdom-minded in our every movement, thought, and word.
Two things Tameshia in her devotional that really grabbed me are “Advent isn’t just a season; it’s an attitude.” and “As we move out of this season of Advent, we continue to anticipate, contemplate, and celebrate this truth: one day, our transformed bodies will inhabit a new, eternal city, marked by the light and presence of our forever King (Revelation 21:22).” The idea of never grieving again, of eternal light and especially ETERNAL LIFE — WOW!!! JUST WOW!!! OUR LORD JESUS IS SO AMAZING!!!!!
Lord Jesus, Everlasting Light of the World, I REJOICE with gladness and praise for all You have given me and done for me. My JOY OVERFLOWS just knowing YOU love me FOREVER and EVER and EVER!!! I wait with anticipation for YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT!!!!! In the Father’s name, Amen.
Be blessed, go SHINE your everlasting Light of Christ today and always and have a great new year sisters.
Happy New Year’s Eve y’all. I just wanted to thank each of you for helping to make this one of the best Advent studies ever. SRT, great job. Ladies, your wisdom & love make it all special. I pray the Light of Jesus into all our dark places in the coming year bringing healing & joy.
Thank you for continuing the study through this week in between Christmas and New Years.
Dear sisters, wishing you and yours a year filled with the light of the Lord, peace to fill your hearts, a deepening faith and a Happy, Healthy New Year. God bless.
Good Things are Coming!
♥️
❤️
Good morning sweet SRT sisters! Happy New Year’s Eve! Loved this morning’s devo reminding us that one day (hopefully soon) there will be NO darkness and will no longer need the sun because GOD Himself will be light no longer needing the sun. I’m imagining seeing colors I’ve never seen before. I can’t wait.
I came across a quote this morning in a day spring calendar my sister gave me from M Louise Haskins / King George VI – “Go into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way”. This reminded me of an old song by Ocean called Put your hand in the hand and I just googled it watching a bunch of hippies singing about the man from Galilee. Does anyone else feel a spirit of revival? Not sure if we will see it in our lifetime like the 60s but hopeful! ✨.
Ladies, thank you so much for all of your comments. I look forward to your wisdom shared, and your prayer requests and prayers. Blessings to you all in 2022! May we all have a healthy and joyous new year! ❤️
The Burn Your Burdens service on New Year’s Eve was one of my favorites. Closing out the year by writing down my worries and fears, and putting the paper to a candle flame meant I was forgetting what lay behind, surrendering all to the Lord. I burned those burdens and faced the New Year open handed, ready to receive whatever His plan might be. How wonderful to take the darkness on that slip of paper and watch the light consume it. The Light of the world is the only One who is able to eradicate darkness. One day there will be no more darkness, only His magnificent light. May I relinquish all my concerns into His hands this final day of 2021… and may I be His light-bearer in 2022.
We were able to take mom home from the hospital yesterday evening. She had two blockages of over 90% but, the heart cath showed the vessels are very small and twisted. The doctor felt there was a greater chance he could do damage than help with stents. So, her medicine has been changed to help that way and she will be re-evaluated in a week. My sister, in Kentucky is a nurse for a heart specialist. Mom’s results will also be sent to them for next steps. Thank you for those who prayed.
The emergency room was still full yesterday but, not like the day before. There were 3-4 beds in the hallways but, not wall to wall people between every set of doors. The same staff was there as the day before for the most part, – lovely, kind, good people. I was able to love on the staff, thanking them for all they do. I did not see as many patients.
Finally, I love these verses in Revelation. My senior girls, my husband and I are studying Revelations together. They are so wonderful. The He Reads Truth devotion today is amazing also.
Happy New Year ladies and God’s present blessing every day in your lives, I pray.
Oh this has been such an amazing study. I have loved following the everlasting light from Genesis to Revelation. Thank you God for that light that gives us hope in these dark days. Dear Lord bless all these dear women in the coming year. Give them strength to persevere as we wait for your return.
Maranatha ❤️
So thankful to live in hopeful anticipation of the Lord working & the Lord returning!
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying…” Revelation 21:4
Early yesterday evening I received a phone call from a very dear friend. I answered it to the sound of her crying. She had just gotten word that her mom had passed away suddenly. She had plans to fly out today to visit her mom and family – now it was to late.
There are really no words to soften the news or erase the pain. But…there is hope. Hope that one day she will see her mom again – she was a believer in Jesus Christ. Hope in knowing her mom is not in pain. Hope of the promise of Revelation 21:3.
This world is not our home. We have let ourselves get to attached to it. Our real home is the one to come – eternity in heaven with our God and King, with Jesus our Savior. No more darkness, only light – the light of the glory of God! It is to foreign to even begin to imagine, it is far greater and better that anything we have ever known or experienced – there will be no more curse!!! Now that is something to celebrate and anticipate and to wait for – expectantly!
May this new year bring love, joy, hope and peace to all as we hope for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ – to Him be the glory!
As we enter 2022, I will continue to pray for all your prayer requests as I see them. May God answer each and every one, according to His will. And may He give you grace and peace as you wait on Him.
Blessings for this day and a Happy New Year to all my SRT sisters!❤️
VICTORIA E. , 3rd trimester praise and prayers!!!
ANGIE, prayers for healing in your mom (and others mentioned in comments) and prayers of safety and guidance for you as you walk through the hallway of suffering. It’s so hard to communicate hope and encouragement because of the mask! I was thinking maybe humming Amazing Grace or other easily recognized hymn might be possible? God will give you the insight, we know. We do need to be in constant prayer for our wonderful medical workers. They have and continue to sacrifice so much!
TINA, prayers of healing and hope for your precious friend and babe. I can’t even imagine going through that!
For those grieving, healing from surgery or illness, those with anxiety … may we all lean on Him as we welcome the new year.
Saying again what an incredible study this has been and giving God the praise for a great medical report on which to end this year. May we all be ready, be moldable, and seek the light in 2022.
The return of the King it’s worth the wait, and my prayer is that we all continue to be bearers of the light that comes with His message. Have a blessed New Year, my new sisters in Christ!
Lauren, I love this!
Amen and amen!
Praying that we finish 2021 and begin 2022 remembering how faithful our God is, the Everlasting Light who never fails!! Have a great New Years Eve friends!
I heard gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard say, “God doesn’t want your resume, He’s asking for your ‘Yes’.” My only resolution for 2022 is to say “Yes” to God far more than I ever have before! Happy New Year to all!
Jesus than you for being the Light in my yesterday, today and tomorrow. God bless us all in this New Year and for a thousand generations. In Jesus name, Amen
God, who lives outside of time, promises, “I am the Lord; I will accomplish it quickly in its time.”
Thank You Lord for Your merciful patience with us.
May the new year bring new hope in God’s promise of new & eternal life in His everlasting light. I cling to that hope, of someday being free of pain! Come Lord Jesus!
Just knowing my future and those still to comes future is in his hands, his light, I find reassurance. His lights shines✨
So thankful for this Word and for the hope that is ahead for all those who believe. Blessings to you ladies as we finish 2021.
In a world of uncertainty and darkness, it is good-no, good doesn’t even do it justice-that Jesus is our light. He shines on what we need to see and someday, He’s light will be everywhere. Oh, how I look forward to the day when there will unity and no hurting.
Every year, I make New Year’s resolutions, and every year, I break them. But God has shown me that this year, I do not have to be perfect. I just have to be like clay. I have to be moldable and open to His word.
Amen.
What a beautiful reminder that one day we will no longer walk through darkness but in the presence of our Savior, our everlasting light!
Thank you Heavenly Father for the truths you left us as we wait faithfully and expectedly for your return.
TRACI GENDRON, I thought of you when I read this verse..
I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God’s home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”
I held on to this verse for a loooooooong time.. I would seek it, and would read it until I felt safe in my sorrow..
Grieving is a process, different for everyone, but my solace was thst though I cried for my loss, and my heart was breaking at the thought of years without my daughter, God was near, every step of the way, that each tear was wiped away by God himself and stored, that He NEVER left me.. and His light, though sometimes a tad foggy still shone, giving me hope..
Traci, He is near, and my prayer for you is that you will know just how close, dear dear heart..
Sending love wrapped in hugs and prayers for today to be a good and God filled day..❤
Praising God , thanking Him for his never failing love for us. Other let us down, but not Him, He is always, yes always faithful to us.
In these days and times where darkness is everywhere, Light sometimes can only be an imagining,
As I write now, it’s dark outside, having looked out of the window. I have just sent a friend who had a baby, 7 days ago a supporting message as she struggles1) with testing positive with covid 2) she had a c section, so the pain and discomfort of that 3) the discovery that her baby also now has covid..
Darkness is around us and for my friend this is real darkness.
These are hard days for her.. where there should be joy, overshadowed by this blanket of darkness.. where she should be counting toes and talking who baby looks like to relatives, she is in isolation, a nightmare that must just feel like a darkness all around..
BUT GOD..
… I KNOW is in this mix, no matter what it looks like right now. He is closer than that little baby’s mouth to mamas booby!
We have not just celebrated ‘ God with us.. for nothing! We have been reminded of the truth of the first advent, because Emmanuel is with, in, and around us.. He is and will forever be with us and not just for Christmas!
No matter how dark it may seem, no matter how awful the situation, no matter the feeling of no return or ‘its over’, God’s Light will always shine through..
My friend just sent me a cute picture of the little one, with one of those early day smiles, you know the ones where the ‘cynic ‘ says wind..
I don’t care if its wind, all I see is the miracle of life, God given, and a cute picture of a babaa, 7 days old, with covid.. smiling.. God is in the mix and He will make all things new..
He will restore. He will renew.
He is already working… that is who HE is.. Amen.
His Light, always our way home, to peace, hope, joy and love..❤
Thank you God, Thank you for your Light that lights the way .. always.. Thank you Lord God..
AMEN.
Praying as we see this year out, and welcome in the New one, that His Light will shine brightly in you, and around you and yours..
Happy New Year beautiful ones, so very much wrapped in love and prayers for the most amazing and wonderment of year ahead.
Much love,
❤
Tina❤
“In the midst of a dark world, we can let the hope that the gospel brings shine in our lives and in the lives of those around us.” I need to remind myself of the hope that the gospel brings, let it lights shine in my life. Even when I don’t feel it, when joy seems so far away. I need to remind myself of what is true. That God is our everlasting Light. That the days of our sorrow will soon be over. And when I doubt whether God even wants me there, afraid because I don’t know what it will look like, or questioning myself whether I can do it, not sinning, glorifying God always, worshipping nonstop and forgetting about myself. Then I remind myself of who God is. He is good, He is just. I don’t know how it all will go, but I trust that what God does will be good.
May God bless us as we enter a new year. Hallelujah praise the Lord
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. ~ Revelation 22:16-17 (NLT)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. ~ 2 Timothy 4:7
God refines His people, rejoice knowing you are being shaped into His image.
‘Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.’ ~ Revelation 22:7 (NLT)
THANK YOU LORD JESUS THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME! MY HOME IS IN HEAVEN WITH YOU!!!
In the middle of all the craziness in the world, how great is it to know that we have a beautiful future to look forward too. A future that is beyond the material things of this world. A future where there is no suffering and pain. In the middle of the dark days we are living in, I look toward to seeing the light that will never fade. Oh how beautiful will it be to be in his presence and in his eternal glory. Thank you God for your promises and for giving us purpose. A purpose that is way beyond everything this world has to offer. A purpose that requires nothing from me but to believe.