Paul tells Timothy to “..Stir up the gift of God”. Paul is writing from his prison cell in Rome. He is expecting to be executed at any time but he is writing a letter of love and encouragement to Timothy. As far as we know, Timothy is the first time pastor of the church at Ephesus, and he’s having a tough time. Paul reminds him of when he was first appointed to lead the church there. In Paul’s first letter to him, written about two years previous, he writes “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of hands of the eldership” – 1 Timothy 4 v14. Now, in this second letter, Paul reminds him again to “Stir up the gift of God…”.
In Timothy’s case, it was a particular gift to empower him for his pastoral ministry. But I believe Paul’s word is an encouragement to us all. We are not all called to be pastors, or apostles, or teachers, but, praise God, by His grace we are all ‘gifted’. None of us is ‘gift-less’. As children of God, in Christ, we all inherit the same promises. We all have the same ‘eternal life’ flowing through our spiritual veins. We are all loved with the same love, which the Word says is “poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” – Romans 5 v5.
The present situation has indeed given rise to the stirring up of gifts some of us never realised we had! For many, it has been a struggle. Some may even have felt fearful or intimidated, but we have prayed for one another, reached out and blessed one another with help, love, and friendship, proving beyond doubt that our God and Father has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. May we be blessed together as we keep on stirring up the gifts that by grace He has given us.
Be blessed, encouraged, and keep on stirring!
Eddie.