Friday 25/10/2024
1 & 2 Timothy
We’ve read this week more of Paul’s encouraging words to Timothy. About 20 years ago when I was leaving my role at the Church Pastoral Aid Society and preparing to move to a new ministry, a group of colleagues with whom I’d worked closely for the previous 4+ years gathered round me to pray and commend me to God’s care and keeping. It was a very affirming and positive experience, and has proved to be a very memorable one. As they prayed, one of them read words from Paul to Timothy that we’ll have come across this week … I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you …. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (1:6,7).
Paul was well aware of Timothy’s capacity for self-doubt and that from time to time he lacked confidence. He wanted to remind Timothy that God had both called him and would equip him for service.
The same of course is true for us! May God fan into flame all the good gifts he gives us as we serve him this week!
The Ven. Andy Piggott
