Tevet - The Path of Light and Goodness

The tenth month on the Hebrew calendar is named Tevet which is from the Hebrew word "Tov," meaning good. Our New Year falls on the eighth of Tevet and is a time to set a sure course for our futures. We are reminded in the first four verses of Psalm 81 to rejoice because God has given us seasons of joy. "Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre. Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full. On the day of our festival, this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob."  
 
Rejoicing in our God of salvation is a sure way to embrace hope for the future. That is why God ordained that His children should celebrate each new month and the goodness He will pour upon us. Our days are getting brighter and brighter as the sun rises higher and shines for a longer period of time. This is an ideal time to chart a course of righteousness. Proverbs 4:18 in The Passion Translation says, "But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light, and their way shines brighter and brighter until they bring forth the perfect day." The NIV gives a slight variation on the interpretation of this verse. "The path of the righteousness is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."
 
Surely, light overcomes darkness. The month of Tevet is associated with the Hebrew letter AYIN which is the picture of an eye. This season is meant for us to open our eyes to let the light in and to follow the bright path. That means keeping our eyes on the Lord so that He can lead us in the right direction for our intended destiny. We cannot pay attention to the noise around us that would lead us down the wrong path. Many voices with self-centered agendas compete for our time and attention. We must evaluate what we are hearing against the Word of God. It is a "sure foundation for our times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." (Isaiah 33:6)
 
The New Year is upon us. Let us yield to the Lord and take the path that He ordained. The Passion Translation has a beautiful way of expressing who we are to be in Christ: "We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!" (Ephesians 2:10) Let us make our good works coincide with the good month of Tevet and chart a course for our futures that glorifies the One who planned our destinies.