2 Timothy 1:6 (ESV)
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which
is in you through the laying on of my hands,
“Fan into flames the gift of God.” That seems like an odd
statement. If it is a gift of God, then why does Timothy need to fan it into
flames? Shouldn’t the gift of God be fanning him into flames? How does this
work?
God gifts every believer for ministry of some type. It also
seems that when God calls a person to ministry he gifts or equips that person
for that ministry. Timothy had apparently received a gift from God at the time
he was ordained for ministry at Paul’s hand. Still the phrase, “Use it or lose
it” seems to apply. If we are not using the gifts that God has given us thy
seem to fade and need to be fanned back into flames like a hot coal with fresh
kindling. Blowing on the coal can cause the kindling to burst into flames.
It causes me to pause and reflect on the gifts God has given
me. Am I using them for the good of the Body, the church? Do they need to be
reignited or fanned back into flames? We would do well, I think, to do an
occasional inventory of our lives. How has God gifted us, and are we using
those gifts as he intended? They are not given for attention or glory, but for
the furtherance of the gospel and the growth of the Body of Christ.
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