This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. II Timothy 1:6-7 NLT
We were each born with a God-given purpose. We are equipped with unique abilities that give us all the tools and talents needed to accomplish our assignment. During our life’s journey, we explore and nurture our gifts as we accept the call on our lives for God’s service. We are all called to serve. We may not be called to proclaim God’s Word from a pulpit but in our families, our communities and in our interactions with one another we are to demonstrate God’s love in ways that fulfill our purpose. Our hands, our words, our tasks emanate His love, His compassion, His mercy that exemplify His Son, Jesus Christ. What a tremendous gift to the world to use the gift that is inside of you. You have what it takes to accomplish the task and to carry it through. He made you for this task. He has given you the tools and the talents to make it happen. You are empowered, careful not to embrace fear but to walk in confidence of the God we serve. Our passage today reminds us to keep our gifts active, alive and on fire. We are to fan the flames within us to keep our gifts fueled with the air that it needs to grow and to shine bright. We fan the flames today within us to use our gifts for His Glory.
That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. II Timothy 1:5-7 MSG