Happy New Year 2026!

Genesis 35 provides a good teaching for New Year’s Day. The previous chapter ends with Jacob’s viable fear of utter destruction. His sons had defended their sister in a way that might ultimately get them all killed. This was not Jacob’s first living nightmare. I don’t know if your 2025 ended like a dream, a nightmare, or somewhere in between, but if we will dedicate our 2026 to walking obediently with the Lord, we will arise with joy and purpose.

A word pressing on my heart for some time has been “order.” I’m excited about God ordering every facet of my life, and removing whatever is cluttering in order to usher in more of Him. I’m aware that it will require obedience in things I may not feel like doing. We need His help, so here’s a first step from Genesis 35:1a,

“God said to Jacob…”

God speaks to His people. We can’t get around the wonder that what God wants from us is relationship. He speaks through His Word by the Holy Spirit, so if we are not diving daily into the Scriptures, we are missing out. Let’s make reading our Bibles and prayer a priority in 2026, asking for spiritual ears ready to listen. “Preparation” is another word that keeps popping up. So prepare, because verse-by-verse grazing of the Scriptures to hear from God is addictive. You may want to keep a journal to jot down what you hear. Psalm 29:9 emphasizes the power of His Word,

“The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry,

‘Glory!’”

Lord speak!  Give us ears to hear, and hearts to obey that we may influence every sphere for Your glory.