When Hezekiah cleaned out the temple, one of the things cleaned out was the bronze serpent used by Moses in the Book of Numbers. When the serpents were attacking the Israelites, Moses was instructed to make a bronze serpent and hold it up. When the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent, they would be saved from the snake bites.

One time use. But Israel held onto it all those years. They had sacrificed to it from time to time.

It is the temptation of our Christian good luck charms. It could be a place at the altar. It could be a favorite preacher at camp. It could be camp itself. It could be a particular song, or worship band.

We hold onto things past their expiration date. We think, “Oh, if I could just get back to that altar, or that camp. If I could heart that worship band sing that one song… I could hear from God again!”

I need this reminder. I hold on to something that worked in the past. I hold on to an unrealistic expectation. And I know God is moving me on to something else… but I hold on.

The expiration date is long past. New dreams and new promises and a fresh anointing for TODAY is here. It is time to put away the old wishes. Actually, I don’t need to put them away. I need to DESTROY them.

What God has ahead is better, more powerful, and carries HIS anointing, and not just my ability.

Throw out the bronze serpent of your life. It worked once. It hasn’t worked since. Look for what God has TODAY.