As we continue to seek the way forward and trust God more – there is a truth we need to fully understand – it all starts with trusting God. While the Israelites were still in Egypt, we see, “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year’” (Exodus 12:1-2). While Egypt was (and is) a geographical location, most of us know that for the Israelites it represented a world system vastly different from the Nation of Israel. The Egyptians had a unique experience in the world system and the Israelites had a completely different one.
When God sent the plagues on Egypt in Exodus 7 through 12, the Israelites were not affected – the two people groups experienced completely different realities. The Egyptians lived according to their world system and the Israelites were given the opportunity to trust God and live according to His Kingdom. In doing so God would create a “distinction” between the Egyptians and the Israelites and in turn – if the Israelites trusted God – their reality would be completely different! For us, the same is true. In the U.S. there exists a world system with new leaders elected regularly, but as believers who trust God and live according to His agenda we don’t have to stress and worry over any of it.
Why? As we read Exodus 12, the tenth and final plague comes into view – God is preparing to kill all the first-born males in Egypt. Just before the plague comes, God tells the Israelites, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” In other words, regardless of the world’s calendar, your new year starts with the tenth plague, right now. In the Old Testament, the Jewish calendar states with Passover. God is saying if you live by this, it will be the beginning of new year and new season for you. Up to this point, they had simply been surviving, but God wanted to move them to thriving!
God is saying the same to us – “your life, your season, your year all pivots and starts fresh if you trust Me.” The shift to trust Him and live according to His agenda moves us into a new year – our year! Everything starts with trusting God. Are you trusting Him as you have never trusted Him before? How are you showing your trust in Him? May we all trust Him like never before as we seek the way forward with Him.