The Lighthouse at Punta de Teno

On the western tip of Tenerife, where the Atlantic crashes against volcanic cliffs, stands the Faro de Teno — a lighthouse that has guided sailors since 1897. For decades, fishermen from the isolated village of Teno Alto descended treacherous mountain paths in the dark, trusting that the light would be burning when they reached the coast. But the lighthouse didn't just serve locals. Ship captains from Morocco, Portugal, and the Canary fleet — people who spoke different languages and prayed in different ways — all navigated by the same beam cutting through the Atlantic fog.

In 2019, when the Spanish government considered decommissioning the old lighthouse in favor of GPS, the outcry came not just from Tenerife but from maritime communities across three continents. People who had never met one another shared the same story: that light brought us home.

This is what Isaiah saw — not a private candle for Israel's living room, but a glory so radiant that nations would stream toward it like vessels finding harbor. "Arise, shine, for your light has come," the prophet declared, and then described caravans from Midian and Sheba converging on that brightness, carrying gold and frankincense.

The light of the Almighty was never meant to be hoarded. It was always a beacon — set high, burning steady, drawing every wandering ship safely home. The only question Isaiah puts to God's people is whether we will rise and shine, or leave the nations navigating in darkness.