Pastor’s Corner: “Stirring the Fire”
2 Timothy 1:6-7 – 6 Therefore I remind you to rekindle the embers – fan the flame – stir up the fire of the gracious gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, cowardice or fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
If death was fast approaching you, what final advice would you give to your family, your closest friends, or the leaders of your church? The Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy knowing that his Roman jailors would soon lead him to his execution. Paul’s final letter from prison is full of urgent advice, exhortation, warning, and encouragement for his young protégé Timothy, whom Paul regarded as a son. Because of Timothy’s sincere faith, Paul now reminds him to “rekindle the gift of God that is in you.” Keep the fire blazing by stirring it up!
Have you ever watched a fire begin to burn down to the point that all you have left are coals? It looks as though there is no fire actually left, because the coals may be under a layer of ash. You can’t really see much. But when you take a fresh log and toss it on top of those coals and stir it around a bit, it suddenly ignites, and you have a whole new fire going. There may be live coals in your life, but you have allowed the fire to go down. You haven’t been using the gifts that God has given you. It’s time to fan them into full flame again. It’s time to be reignited. It’s time to say, “Lord, how can I use what You have given me for Your glory until You return?”
For some of us, keeping things stirred up is not appealing. We like it when things are comfortable and predictable. It’s like baking a cake. We have all the necessary ingredients to the recipe. We’ve got our Bible, devotion subscription, godly friends, our church, special quiet time journal, praise and worship songs, verses memorized. If you looked at us, you’d say it’s all there. But, don’t for a second think about stirring things up! And definitely don’t add heat (fire of Holy Spirit). If we allow Holy Spirit to stir things up, our control is out the window and who knows what will happen? This is not comfortable or predictable. We would rather just be left alone. We’d rather look okay and be comfortable than be stirred up and reach our full potential. Does this hit a little too close to home?
DO NOT NEGLECT THE GIFT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. Neglect is something that takes very little effort and has the ability to hide the severity of the harm it produces. Any person who belongs to Christ has received a spiritual gift for God’s glory and the good of the church. Serving the Lord is not a suggestion but a command. When we waste the opportunity, we deprive both ourselves and others of the service God intended for us to provide.
We need to take advantage of the opportunities that are out there. There are those who want to have the big, visible ministries. They want the applause of men. But if we will humble ourselves and take what we have and offer it to God, if we are willing to do what He has set before us and be faithful in the little things, then He will give us something better than visible ministries or applause – He’ll give us the peace and joy that comes from pleasing Him.
When Christians claim the gifts God has given us, we can walk daily with boldness instead of cowardice, with the power of the Holy Spirit within us, with self-sacrificial and unconditional love, and with self-control. As we “keep stirring up the fire,” our Christian witness becomes a roaring blaze, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be evident to everyone around us. And God will get all the Glory!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton