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. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6A couple of days ago I decided to burn a pile of personal bills in order to prevent some dodgy bin rustler from stealing my identity. I put the papers into a large metal bin and set them alight. The resulting fire burned steadily for a couple of hours and then after a twilight rainfall the smoke died down and seemed no more. The next morning I went to clear out the ashes and with a large spade I stirred up the burnt papers. Instantly grey smoke began to rise from within the centre of the barrel followed seconds later by a fresh flicker of fire from within. I couldn't believe it was still burning!
A fire which I thought was dead was suddenly fanned back into flame. This is an almost perfect illustration of the words of wisdom sent to Timothy. Paul reminds us to keep stirring up what is inside and never let it die.The first thing he says is to remember the spiritual heritage he has had passed onto him by his Grandmother and mother. But the "passing on" was never meant to end there. "I want you to fan into flame the gift that is in you" says Paul with a passionate sense of urgency. The torch must be passed on by you too.
Who is responsible for the flame within you? It is not your grandmothers job. It is not your parents responsibility. It is not within your cutting edge youth groups remit. There are those around us in life that may give us flammable material, and may even light a match, but you have to stoke your own fire. That's what keeps you burning.
Each of us has been given a unique gift that can only be unwrapped by our own hands. Maybe it is time you stopped thinking someone else had to do it for you, and started stirring it up yourself.
One of the biggest things that stops us from using the amazing spiritual and natural gifts God has given us is fear. As one famous quote by Marrianne Wilson puts it “ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." Most of us are not afraid of the dark, but we are scared that we might just be amazing.
As the quote goes on to say "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God." A spirit of timidity cannot survive the fanning of the flame. Why be left feeling as if we are useless and a failure when we have been given the gift of power? Why feel unlovely, unloved and unable to love others, when we have been given a gift of love? Why feel like things are out of control, and unable to control ourselves, when we have within us the gift of self control?
Fanning the flame means it is time to step out in that gift again. Fanning the flame means it is time to revive the dream in you that died. Fanning the flame means it is time to explore that place in yourself which you were scared to go, because there is love and power yet to be released.... "You are a child of God."
It is time to Acknowledge what God has given you: Take some time to think about what God has put inside of you that you have either allowed to die down or have not yet put to use.
It is time to Believe that what you have is both a) real and from heaven and b) sufficient for the job you have been given to do... is his grace is enough? Is his power enough?
It is time to Change your behaviour in accordance with what you believe you have been given. When you act as if you have been filled with power, love as if you have experienced the deepest of love, and live as if you have learnt the strictest of self discipline, then this flame will make a difference to the way you live.
Paul is writing his final words of hope to his spiritual son, in confidence that his own flame would not be extinguished with time. Timothy is left with a decision to make sure that the torch he has been given will shine in the darkness for generations to come. The fatherly advice of 2 Timothy shows us all that we begin to leave a legacy, when we begin to believe what is within.
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