We have come full circle. In Part 1, I was the one lying down, needing to arise. In Part 2, I found myself reaching for someone else, newly aware that being raised with Christ was not the end of the story. Now here is the question this whole series has been building toward: who is God calling you to raise?
You Don’t Have to Look Far
You probably already know the answer, even if you say it out. It might be:
- A friend who is exactly where you were a year ago
- Your own child, watching how you handle hard seasons
- Someone at church who is gifted but has never been asked to serve
- A younger version of yourself
God rarely calls you to raise a stranger. Usually, it is someone already standing close enough for you to reach.
The Call Was Never Just for You
Remember where we started—Isaiah 60:1 (NIV), “Arise, shine, for your light has come.” That light was not given to you to keep. Light that stays contained is not doing what it is supposed to do. It was always meant to reach whoever that is still standing in the dark next to you.
He calls you to arise—not so you’d stand alone, but so you could raise others with you.
That is not just a nice line to close a devotional with. It is the whole shape of the gospel: God reaches down, lifts us up, and then allows us to help others get up.
You Do Not Need to Feel Ready
If you are waiting to feel qualified before you raise someone else, I would suggest you don’t. I did not feel ready when I drove to church in Part 1. In fact, I was late. I did not feel ready when I spoke to my friend in Part 2. Readiness was never really the requirement—obedience was.
You do not need a title, a platform, or a plan. You need one person’s name and one small, honest step toward them.
Your Turn
So here is the question, plainly: who is God calling you to raise?
Write the name down if you need to. Pray about it today, not eventually. And then take the same kind of step that got you here—small, honest, and obedient.
He arose for you. You arose because of him. Now—go and raise.
I invite you to say this prayer.
Father, thank you for arising in me and raising me up when I could not do it alone. Show me clearly who you are calling me to raise, and do not let me talk myself out of it. Give me one small step to take today, and the obedience to actually take it. May the light you gave me reach the person standing next to me. Amen.
This closes our 3-part devotional series: Arise and Raise. If you’re just joining us, start with Part 1—”Arise and Shine”—and Part 2, “Raised with Christ.”
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