Tuesday's with Jesus #83

#83 "The Right Idea" February 13, 2007 "But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.' " (Genesis 32: 26b) "But the child's mother said, 'As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.'" (2 Kings 4: 30) and "She said to herself, 'If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.'" (Matthew 9: 21)   Three individuals. One needed a blessing. One needed a miracle for a child. One needed a healing. One man and two women. One who lived in the Old Testament times of the patriarchs. One who lived hundreds of years later in Shunem. One who lived in the New Testament time of Christ. Jacob. The Shunammite woman. The woman with the issue of blood. Separated by time and location. Different, yet the same...how, you may ask? They all had the right idea.   Jacob was returning home to Canaan and he knew that he would have to meet his brother, Esau who was plotting to kill him. Jacob was afraid. He was outnumbered by the amount of men Esau had with him. He couldn't defeat them on his own. He had to depend on God. Only God could save him. Jacob prayed for help and ended up having an awesome experience in prayer. He struggled with God and would not give up until God blessed him. Now, he was trusting God, not in all the strategies, deceit and conniving ways of his past. He knew that those wouldn't work and he was willing to do anything to get God's blessing in his situation. He said, "I will not let you go until you bless me." Jacob had the right idea!   Is "Esau" plotting to kill you? Does your personal Esau appear too powerful and overwhelming for you to defeat"? Have you tried all your favorite strategies, even using deceit and manipulation to get out of your problem? Follow Jacob's example and tell God, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." He knew that God was the only one who could solve his problem. Jacob had the right idea! Hang on for dear life and don't let go!!   The Shunammite woman lost her son. He was the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy to her and born even though her husband was an old man. Now he had died in her arms. She didn't scream. She didn't rant and rave. She didn't lose control. She knew what she had to do. She had to get to the man of God and no one else would do. She didn't tell her husband. She didn't tell the servants. Her focus was on getting to the man of God. She wouldn't even tell Elijah's servant Gehazi. No one short of the man of God would do. She knew where her help would come from and nothing would get in her way. She grabbed hold of him and said, "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you." This woman had the right idea!   What has died in your life? Is there a dream that you know was birthed by God that has suddenly died in your arms? Is your marriage dead? Your relationship with a child? Your job? Your ministry? Your finances? Don't tell it to your friends. Don't tell it to your family....you don't have the man of God on your side...you have the SON of God on your side and when He's for you, who can be against you? Now I'm not against having a close friend to confide in. And I'm not against Godly council  when necessary. But I am saying that the answer to your problem is in no man. Turn your eyes to the hills. Your help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.  The Shunammite woman kept saying, "It's all right...everything is all right." Circumstances weren't alright. Her son wasn't all right. She probably felt not so much all right inside. But she said, "It's all right." Amazing! She knew that it was all right because she knew in whom she believed. And she never lost her focus....she had the right idea!   The woman was sick for twelve years. She had an issue of blood that no amount of money or doctors could cure. She was tired, worn out and weak. I'll bet she was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. The crowds were massive. The noise was deafening. She was jostled back and forth. She fought against the crowds, the possibility of suffering legal ramifications for touching other people and against her own physical limitations. She had to get to Jesus. No more doctors would do. No more money could be spent. Gehazi wouldn't do for the Shunammite and none of Jesus' disciples would do for this woman. She had to get to the Man Himself. She said to herself, "If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed." The tense of the words used in the text suggest that she KEPT ON SAYING to herself..."If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed." Talk about focus! She had an issue...after all of these years it seemed impossible....but she had the right idea!   What is your issue? What seems utterly impossible in your life today? What could be changed for you with just one touch of the hem of His garment? What might you have to fight to get to Jesus? What obstacles are standing in your way? Push every hindrance aside, out of your way and get to Him! Focus! Keep your eyes on Jesus...He is your answer. Run to Him. Don't settle for people, formulas or spooky methods of getting your prayers answered. The answer is in Jesus. Get the right idea!   Jacob, the Shunammite, the woman with the issue of blood and you...Jacob was blessed. The Shunammite's son was raised. The woman was healed. All because they knew Who to hang on to. All because they knew Who to run to. All because they knew who to cling to and not let go. What about you? How will your story end? Do you have the right idea?   Donna Schultz                                                                              See www.tuesdayswithjesus.blogspot.com for archives.         If you would prefer to not receive these e-mails, please let me know at savemom@aol.com. 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