Out With The Old

“He removed the high places, smashed the sacred memorial stones, cut down the Asherah poles, and broke into pieces the bronze serpent which Moses had made, because until those days the people of Israel had been burning incense to it.” (2 Kings 18:4 ESV)

When Hezekiah became the new King of Judah, he immediately removed the idols and shrines erected to false gods. This was typical of national leaders dedicated to serving the one true God. One further step in Hezekiah’s leadership was to demolish the bronze serpent that Moses made during the exodus (Numbers 21:6-9). This simple act is of important mention. Although the bronze serpent was an object the Lord Himself had commanded Moses to fashion for the healing of the people, over time had actually become an idol that the people were sacrificing to. Something valid had become a vice to the entire nation.

As leaders, we must intentionally eliminate practices, although worthy in their day, are no longer effective and hindering our progress. The beginning of the new year is a perfect time to break old habits and sever current relationships that are holding us back. What was once wings have become weights. In order to make notable gains, we must disconnect from things that have become dead weight. In Numbers 6:6, God commanded the Nazarites to separate themselves from anything that was dead. For us, this means disassociating with systems, practices, and routines that are no longer producing results.

(Also read Philippians 3:13; Hebrews 12:1)