February 23rd - 2 Timothy 1:5-6

2 Timothy 1:5-6 “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” When I was a boy, one of the great pleasures of Saturday afternoons was that I would light a bonfire with my dad. I came to love the smell of bonfires, probably because it reminded me of those happy moments. The greatest pleasure of all was the process of getting the fire going. Sometimes we struggled, but then by fanning the flames carefully we would have the joy of seeing the fire take hold. Paul used this image to speak of his longing for Timothy’s faith to grow. It wasn’t enough that he had a godly grandmother and mother. He needed to have a strong faith himself, so the flames needed to be carefully fanned. Through the centuries, many people seem to have looked at Christianity as a club, as if all that matters is being a member because then you will have your ticket for heaven. However, the New Testament presents Christian faith as something very different. It depends upon a personal relationship with God. Because it’s a relationship, and no relationship can stand still, it is either getting stronger or weaker. That was very much the apostle Paul’s thinking. He was determined that his young friend Timothy should grow in faith, and that wasn’t going to happen without determination and careful planning. I wonder what you are doing to fan the flames of your faith. We all have a different relationship with God, so I can’t suggest only one way of achieving this, but here are some great ways of fanning the flames: spending time with God has to be number one. Setting aside time to read the Bible, to pray and to reflect is incredibly valuable. Give yourself enough space and time to listen to God. It is also important to spend time with other Christians. Worshipping with them is great, but so too is talking with them. When we go it alone, we can easily assume that we are the only ones with temptations and problems to face, but when we have an honest relationship with Christian brothers and sisters, we soon discover that we are all in it together. Question What are you going to do to fan the flames of your faith over the next month? Prayer Loving God, thank you that love me so much that you want my relationship with you to become stronger. Help me to take steps to make that happen. Amen