​The Hebrew month of Shevat is here. It is the eleventh month in the religious calendar and means "to strike or lash," which refers to the heavy rains of the season in Israel. It is meant to be a time of spiritual renewal and divine instruction. In the book of Deuteronomy, we can read the final words of Moses to remind the Israelites of God's lessons in the wilderness. "In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them." (Deuteronomy 1:3)
 
The month of Shevat was one of preparation for the children of Israel. They were about to enter the Promised Land with their leader Joshua ahead of them. God was doing a "new thing" with them as it is declared in Isaiah 42:19. "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being, I announce them." At the beginning of the new year, we should be seeking the Lord for the new thing He will do with us in the year to come. It is His desire that we operate in righteousness so that we can be fruitful. He is positioning us for victory in the battles we may need to fight in the future.
 
As we meditate on God's Word, we grow in righteousness. The letter from the Hebrew alphabet associated with this month is TZADIK. It symbolizes the "righteous one." One of the names of God is Yahweh Tsidqenu, "The Lord Our Righteousness." The prophet Jeremiah foretold the coming of the Lord. "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.'" (Jeremiah 23:5, 6) Jeremiah's prophecy would be confirmed in the writings of the apostle Paul. Paul tells us how we can join in that righteousness. "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30)
 
It is through our faith in Jesus Christ that righteousness comes to us. (Romans 3:22) Our goal is to become like Him so that we are in right relationship with God and with others. There is a promise in Matthew 5:6 that we should grab hold of, especially during this month. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Jesus came as the only one who could provide us with redemption from the curse of sin because of His perfect life. 1 Peter 2:24 explains it well. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed."
 
The vine that we connect to when we received Jesus Christ by faith is the vine of righteousness. Like the root of a plant that brings nutrition and sustenance to the plant, the root of the Vine that we attached to brings us righteousness and holiness so that we become who Christ is--"The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
 
Since we are in the beginning of a new year and in the month where the Lord wants to do a new thing in us, let us focus on our identity in Christ and remember who we are in Him. Praise God that we became the righteousness of God because of our union with Christ. May our spirits awaken to the revelation of these truths.

It is a mystery of nature! On the first week of January my husband and I saw a large flock of robins as we took our afternoon walk. They were enticed to gather around a crabapple tree in our complex that was still laden with tiny crabapples. My first thought was, "Hooray! Spring is coming early this year." When I returned home, I did some research and learned that this is not necessarily so.
 
The migration pattern for robins is variable. As the breeding season ends and the babies have been raised, robins begin to gather in flocks. At times they will head south, but not always. Some just move to the nearest woodland, especially those with evergreen cover. Here they are still able to find some grubs, worms, and insects. In the winter, the robins also depend upon fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, and vines for sustenance.
 
Some of the robins who stay in their home territory will be joined by other robins who have migrated from areas further north. This is when large nomadic flocks are formed for the winter. These flocks are formed for safety from predators and for greater ease in finding food. Robins need to be flexible about their habitat. Some years fruit seems to be produced in greater abundance than others. The birds instinctively know if they need to migrate or can "stay put." For those who do migrate, we can expect them to return home on or about the time of the vernal equinox or March 20th.
 
I have believed for years that the appearance of flocks of robins in the winter is a harbinger of spring. Sadly, my bubble has been burst. Still, anytime of the year, when flocks of robins gather to peck the ground for the easily available worms after a rainstorm, there is an excitement that wells up inside of me. Their appearance excites me, and a reawakening feeling comes upon me. I am finally able to identify this as an assurance from my Heavenly Father that He cares for me and demonstrates His love and provision even through the birds.
 
This brings to mind the Scripture in Matthew 6:25-34 where we are told to entrust our lives to Him. "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet their heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life...So, do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
 
In the future, I will use my robin sightings as a reminder of the faithfulness of God and will let His peace and encouragement wash over me. I will end this meditation with Psalm 100 and hope that it reminds you of the love and faithfulness of God for us. "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. The Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." 

From the very beginning of creation, God was intentional about the way He made the earth and all the creatures in it. However, His crowning glory was the making of human beings. "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.' So, God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God, He created them; male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:26, 27 - NLT)
 
I want to look more deeply into two parts of this Scripture. First, why is the plural "let us," used? The word for God in Hebrew is Elohim. It is used to emphasize the majesty of the One True God who is the Lord of all lords. Included in this name is all the attributes of Elohim. Our God is all powerful, all knowing, good, wise, trustworthy, and loving, just to name a few. This plural form of God may also be directing us to the Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
Next, we should note that we were created in the image of God. He created us with His nature and attributes. Ephesians 4:23 and 24 explain that we are being made new in the attitude of our minds. It says, "...Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." When God made a covenant with Noah, He made it clear that we are to honor life. "...I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:6) I believe that the image of God speaks of our entire being, the special relationship we can have with Him, and our mandate to reign over creation. Our self-worth is based on the knowledge that we are made in God's image. In our recognition of God's image in all people, we can see qualities that are not included in the rest of creation.
 
As Christians, we should be growing in our understanding of our image of Christ in us. Over the holidays I became aware that we think that God looks like us. My husband and I visited the Glencairn Museum. It is a castle-like home in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, designed by Raymond Pitcairn, an industrialist and collector. There are more than ninety rooms on ten floors of the Romanesque-style building constructed between 1928 and 1939. The reason for our visit was primarily to see the collection of nativity scenes from around the world.
 
We saw elaborate nativity scenes from Italy, China, Switzerland, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Peru, Columbia, and the United States, to name a few. Here is what struck me as I looked at the variety of nativities: Each character in the set was made to reflect the nature of the people in the country from which it originated. The figures—Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the shepherds, and the wise men—had faces and bodies and clothes like the individuals who made them.
 
While I understand that it may help us feel closer to God by imagining Him in our image, the truth is that God wants us to look like Jesus. This is the reason He came to earth. Romans 8:29 tells us, "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers." Father God makes it clear in His Word that He wants us to reflect the image of Jesus to the rest of the world. Jesus told the crowds of people in Israel when He delivered the Beatitudes, "You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." The call on our lives is to look like Jesus. 

​As we have moved into a new year, it is time to consider the call of God on our lives. Integrated with the new year is the tenth month on the Hebrew calendar called Tevet. The number ten is not only the number of testimony, (The Ten Commandments were in the Ark of the Testimony.) but the number of godly authority. When we consider our own lives, we should also be praying for godly authority for our Commander in Chief and other leaders of our country. The enemy of our souls tries to get to us through our leaders. This is why we are instructed to pray for them. 
 
The word Tevet means "good." God's will for us is to move toward the light. The natural light of each day will be increasing as we go into the new year. When we consider our plans for the new year we should be charting a course of righteousness. Proverbs 4:18 tells us, "The path of righteousness is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." New life flows in the light. Isn't it fitting that the Hebrew letter associated with Tevet is AYIN which pictures an eye and a spring or well? We must see with spiritual eyes for new life to flow like a fresh spring.
 
The Lord desires for our eyes to be focused on the good. 2 Chronicles 16:9 talks about the eyes of the Lord. They "range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him..." This Scripture corresponds with the one that my pastor, George Matthew Clash, Lead Pastor at The Crossing in Washington Crossing, PA, gave to us last Sunday. “Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters..." (2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 - NKJ) This word was delivered by the apostle Paul to the Corinthians when he was encouraging them to stay in the light and to live according to the righteousness of God. He asked a question that is pertinent in the month of Tevet. "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Corinthians 6:16)
 
The reason that this Scripture from 2 Corinthians hits home in Tevet and the beginning of the new year is because this month is associated with the tribe of Dan. Dan means to rule or judge. Grouped with the tribes of Naphtali and Asher in their camp and when they marched, they formed a rear guard and were called to help in the protection of the Israelites. Sadly, the tribe of Dan became the first one to worship idols. It was in Dan's territory that King Jeroboam set up golden calves where the people came to bow down and worship them. The constellation in the sky during this month is Capricorn, the goat. It should be a sign to remind us not to make wrong alignments. Goat nations formed alliances that show us their break from God's covenant.
 
Our desire should be to align ourselves with God and His plans and purposes for our lives. This will mean that we will need to make sacrifices in the new year. Psalm 33:18 and 20 says, "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in HIs mercy...Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield." (NKJ) Tevet and the beginning of 2026 mark the start of a season of preparation. Ask the Lord for His divine strategy and vision for the year to come. He made a promise to His people in Isaiah 52:12. "...For the Lord will go before you. And the God of Israel will be your rear guard." What more could we ask for? Let us walk into the year ahead with willingness to be set apart from the world, to pray for those in authority over us, to focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and to walk in righteousness and holiness to advance the kingdom of God.