He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” Then the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her.
2 Kings 4:29-30
Lord Jesus, how many times have I settled for substitutes? How many times have I accepted good enough, or settled for mediocre? How many times have I desired Your hand to touch my circumstances but instead settled for a glimmer? Having asked You to come in and make a huge change in my life only to be “fine” with a minor shift? Whether it was health, family, resources, transformation, or just plain peace, I have taken morsels when You have promised me a feast!
When I look at the Shunammite woman’s insistence upon Elisha coming with her, I must confess that I often don’t have that kind of spiritual resolve concerning my desires, wants and needs regarding You. This woman, in refusing to leave the side of Elisha, though he had sent Gehazi ahead to revive the child, was saying the change meant nothing unless he did it. And as we see looking ahead at the text, Gehazi’s presence did not invoke the change that she desperately wanted. It was only when the prophet showed up that life was restored. I see so many parallels to this in my own life, believing that some of these stop gap measures that I am taking will bring the peace I am looking for when in all actuality they are nothing more than pacifiers. What I need is You!
So today, I fall at Your feet and hold tight like Jacob, crying out that I won’t let You go unless You bless me! Lord Jesus, only a touch from Your hand on my life can make the difference. I can hit the Mega Million jackpot tonight and it still will not satisfy this deep longing in my soul. Only a touch from You, can make the difference. And it is that touch that I must have today!
On this first day after Resurrection Sunday, when the fanfare has died down, and things are getting back to normal, I don’t want the status quo any longer. Instead, I want all day every day the glorious excitement and holy anticipation of what You are going to do in my life and the lives of those around You. I am expecting You to raise the dead, open the eyes of the blind, give speech to the mute, and set captives free. And I am holding on to You tightly, declaring that as the LORD lives, and as You Yourself live, I will never leave You! Thank You for never leaving me! Amen!