Author: THERESA JACOBSON

Listening for the Promise
Weekly Devotional

Listening for the Promise
Weekly Devotional

Feast of the Epiphany – January 6, 2027
“^1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. ^2For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.” 
- Isaiah 60:1-2 -
Several years ago, while I was serving a two-point parish in rural South Dakota, we had a tremendous storm go through the late hours of the evening.  The wind caused the power to go out, and before we knew it the sirens were going off to warn town dwellers of the possible dangers of this storm.
The parsonage we lived in at the time didn’t have a basement, so we would need to seek shelter in the hallway.  At the time, only two of my three children had been born.  Both were old enough to know what was happening was serious, but they were young enough that they didn’t fully understand why we were in darkness suddenly.  We found some tea light candles, and we lit them as we sat in the hallway.  The kids were so amazed how much light came from such a small item.  Once even one little tea light candle was lit, we could see so much more than when we were in total darkness.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”  Isaiah wrote these words 700 years before Christ entered the world, but he’s talking about Jesus Christ, no doubt about it.  Jesus is the light in the midst of darkness.  My kids were frightened when all of a sudden, they found themselves in total darkness.  They couldn’t see what was around them or in front of them.  But once one little light entered the darkness, the fear began to fizzle away.  If it wasn’t for Jesus, you and I would be in total spiritual darkness.  We would constantly be in a state of fear and confusion, not sure of what path to take and getting lost.  The light that is Jesus Christ shows us the way.  But we know, even with Jesus, we still wander off and get lost.  
The darkness of sin will always dwell around us.  We have false teachers and false gods that threaten to separate us from God every day.  Darkness is plentiful, that’s true.  But Jesus is greater.  His light shines in the darkness, and that darkness cannot overcome it (John 1).  Let us arise together and share the Light of Christ with others.
Feast of the Epiphany – January 6, 2027
“^1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. ^2For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.” 
- Isaiah 60:1-2 -
Several years ago, while I was serving a two-point parish in rural South Dakota, we had a tremendous storm go through the late hours of the evening.  The wind caused the power to go out, and before we knew it the sirens were going off to warn town dwellers of the possible dangers of this storm.
The parsonage we lived in at the time didn’t have a basement, so we would need to seek shelter in the hallway.  At the time, only two of my three children had been born.  Both were old enough to know what was happening was serious, but they were young enough that they didn’t fully understand why we were in darkness suddenly.  We found some tea light candles, and we lit them as we sat in the hallway.  The kids were so amazed how much light came from such a small item.  Once even one little tea light candle was lit, we could see so much more than when we were in total darkness.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”  Isaiah wrote these words 700 years before Christ entered the world, but he’s talking about Jesus Christ, no doubt about it.  Jesus is the light in the midst of darkness.  My kids were frightened when all of a sudden, they found themselves in total darkness.  They couldn’t see what was around them or in front of them.  But once one little light entered the darkness, the fear began to fizzle away.  If it wasn’t for Jesus, you and I would be in total spiritual darkness.  We would constantly be in a state of fear and confusion, not sure of what path to take and getting lost.  The light that is Jesus Christ shows us the way.  But we know, even with Jesus, we still wander off and get lost.  
The darkness of sin will always dwell around us.  We have false teachers and false gods that threaten to separate us from God every day.  Darkness is plentiful, that’s true.  But Jesus is greater.  His light shines in the darkness, and that darkness cannot overcome it (John 1).  Let us arise together and share the Light of Christ with others.

Sola Worship Resource — Weekly Devotional © 2026 Sola Publishing (www.solapublishing.org), written by Rev. Theresa Jacobson. Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 . Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sola Worship Resource — Weekly Devotional © 2026 Sola Publishing (www.solapublishing.org), written by Rev. Theresa Jacobson. Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 . Scripture taken from ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.