fan into flame

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Isaiah 59:1-15; 1 Timothy 1:1-14; Mark 9:42-50

[I'm sorry to miss yesterday's readings, Isaiah 58 and the last section of Galatians are important and always great to reflect on...]

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 gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
(1 Timothy 1:6-7)

This verse is always a good reminder.
I wonder if we can read it this way, "Because God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and self-control, therefore fan into flame, rekindle and stir up the gift of God that is in you." In other words, the appeal to be passionate, to be on fire, to be ablaze with whatever special gifting and calling God has given to Timothy, and to us, is itself empowered by this truth - that we have in us a spirit of power and love and self-control.

Is he saying, "you can do it Timothy!" "You can be strong and courageous and unashamed. As your heart and whole being burns with love for Jesus you can warm and lighten and transform your community. You can do it, you can find the strength and motivation to do it, because you don't have fear in you, you have strength and love and soundness of mind."?

To some degree we are responsible for our own "passion," for the degree to which our hearts burn with this love for Jesus - to fan it into flame, to provide a setting that is most conducive for the fire. I built a couple of fires last week. I love sitting by it reading for the morning. But it takes some attention. Especially when the wood isn't all dried out... If you walk away for too long, or just fall asleep, it will not flame for long.

The image only goes so far, but the call to focus and attention to one's life with the Lord is on point. Inattention, carelessness, prayerless, non-reflection on the state of our hearts, fear (which subtly, or not so subtly, influences us continually) ... will all lead to lukewarmness or worse.

But we have, as gift, all that we need to burn hot and bright.