START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION
(KJV) Exodus 12:1-2
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
The First Month of Your Year: Stepping Into Divine New Beginnings
Have you ever looked at a calendar and wished for a complete reset? A moment where the old slate is wiped clean, and a brand-new chapter begins?
In Exodus 12:1-2, we find the nation of Israel at a massive turning point. They had spent 430 years in Egypt, with generations enduring the crushing weight of slavery and oppression. But God was about to change everything. Right before He delivered them through the historic event of the Passover, He gave Moses and Aaron a fascinating instruction:
“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)
With these words, God literally rewrote their calendar.
A Shift in Identity and Time
Before this moment, Israel’s time was marked by the seasons of their bondage. Their days were dictated by the demands of Pharaoh and the labor of brickmaking. But God declared that their true story wouldn’t begin with their slavery—it would begin with their redemption.
The month of the Passover (which falls around March or April on our modern calendars) became their new Year One, Month One. God shifted their timeline to remind them that their existence as a nation and their identity as His people were entirely the result of His miraculous rescue.
Every time they celebrated the New Year, they were forced to remember: We are who we are because God brought us out.
Applying the “First Month” Principle Today
You don’t have to wait until January 1st to experience a new beginning. In God’s kingdom, a “first month” moment can happen the very second you decide to trust Him with your next steps.
- Let your rescue define you, not your past. The Israelites had decades of trauma behind them, but God didn’t want them looking backward. Your past mistakes or seasons of hardship do not dictate your timeline. Your identity is found in the One who rescues you.
- Establish new rhythms of remembrance. God instituted the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread so Israel would never forget His power. To sustain a new beginning, create daily or weekly habits that focus your heart on God’s faithfulness.
- Expect miraculous breakthroughs. The new calendar was handed down before the Red Sea parted. Sometimes, God asks us to shift our mindset and live in expectation of His freedom before we even see the final breakthrough.
No matter how heavy or stagnant the previous season has felt, God is still the master of the reset. He is ready to break the chains of your past and establish a new timeline for your life today. Welcome to your new beginning.
A Closing Prayer for New Beginnings
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are a God of restoration, deliverance, and brand-new chapters. Just as You rewrote the calendar for the Israelites in Egypt, I ask that You bring a divine shift to my life today.
Wipe away the stains, the heartaches, and the mindsets of past seasons of bondage. I declare that my identity is not defined by where I have been, but by Your redeeming love. Give me the grace to step boldly into the “first month” of what You are doing next. Let Your miraculous power clear the path ahead, and may my heart always remember and praise You for the freedom You provide.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter
- FIRSTBORN … WILL DIE / EXODUS 11:5
- A FESTIVAL / EXODUS 10:9
- YOU MAY TELL YOUR CHILDREN / EXODUS 10:1-2
- I HAVE RAISED YOU UP FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE / EXODUS 9:15-16
- LIVESTOCK OF THE EGYPTIANS / EXODUS 9:6
- YOUR CATTLE / EXODUS 9:2-3
- THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD / EXODUS 8:18-19
- FROGS / EXODUS 8:2
- HE STRUCK THE WATER / EXODUS 7:20
- IT BECAME A SNAKE / EXODUS 7:12
- I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART / EXODUS 7:3-4
- THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO HIM / EXODUS 6:9
- I WILL TAKE YOU AS MY OWN PEOPLE AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD / EXODUS 6:7
- BY MY NAME THE LORD I DID NOT MAKE MYSELF KNOW TO THEM / EXODUS 6:3
- YOU HAVE NOT RESCUED YOUR PEOPLE AT ALL / EXODUS 5:23
- IS THIS WHY YOU SENT ME? / EXODUS 5:22
- THIS IS WHAT THE LORD – THE GOD OF ISRAEL SAYS / EXODUS 5:1
- THE LORD WAS ABOUT TO KILL HIM / EXODUS 4:24
- ISRAEL MY FIRSTBORN / EXODUS 4:22
- I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART / EXODUS 4:21
- WHO MAKES HIM BLIND? / EXODUS 4:11
- I AM SLOW OF SPEECH / EXODUS 4:10
- STAFF … BECAME A SNAKE / EXODUS 4:2-3
- ASK … PLUNDER THE EGYPTIANS / EXODUS 3:22
- I AM WHO I AM / EXODUS 3:14
- I WILL BE WITH YOU / EXODUS 3:12
- MILK AND HONEY / EXODUS 3:8
- SEEN THE MISERY OF MY PEOPLE / EXODUS 3:7
- HOLY GROUND / EXODUS 3:5
- THE ANGEL OF THE LORD / EXODUS 3:2
- MOSES WAS TENDING THE FLOCK / EXODUS 3:1
- THEIR CRY WENT UP TO GOD / EXODUS 2:23
- MIDIAN / EXODUS 2:15
- KILLED THE EGYPTIAN / EXODUS 2:12
- MOSES / EXODUS 2:11
- HEBREW BABIES / EXODUS 2:6
- A SON / EXODUS 2:1-2
- SLAVE MASTERS OVER THEM TO OPPRESS THEM / EXODUS 1:11
- WHO DID NOT KNOW ABOUT JOSEPH / EXODUS 1:8
- MULTIPLIED GREATLEY / EXODUS 1:6-7
- THE SONS OF ISRAEL / EXODUS 1:1-5
- CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE
Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I love having you here. If this post resonated with you, please drop a comment below and share your thoughts. See you in the next post!
Blessings, Margarita & Stace
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