~By: Silvana Place~
I often find myself staring at my children, grateful that God has entrusted them into my hands as their mother. I sit and stare when they aren’t looking and wonder what plans God has for their lives. Will they live out their fullest potential? Will they remain faithful to Christ and surrendered to Him? That is exactly what I am praying and declaring over my children. But, it doesn’t stop there. Just as I pray for myself, I am praying they will never stop fanning the flame of the call of God on their lives. I pray that the passion of their first love, and my first love, Jesus, would never ever grow dim.
2 Timothy 1:6 reads, “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.” Here the apostle Paul was speaking to his apprentice Timothy. Paul had seen the great potential and eagerness in serving God that young Timothy carried. He had seen the excitement in Timothy’s eyes and actions as he eagerly pursued Christ. Yet Paul, Timothy’s mentor, found it vital to remind Timothy to keep that fire burning. This was a fire that God had certainly placed in Timothy’s life and entrusted to him, but one that could possibly grow stagnant or dim if not fanned.
What fire are we speaking of here? The fire of God’s Spirit living inside of us, the fire that breathes life into our destiny, our calling, our purpose, the fire that scatters the seed and bears fruit, the fire that refines us, purifies us, and conforms us into His likeness. That is the fire that has been entrusted to us, but has the capability, if not tended, to grow dim. I love how Priscilla Shirer puts it, “God has given you this fire, yes, but the hallowed task of keeping it fanned is your charge to accept. If you want to see your life roaring with spiritual energy, you must partner with Him in whipping it into a frenzy.”
How do we keep this fire from growing dim? We simply never stop fanning the flame. We seek the presence of God daily, throughout our day. Our time with Him becomes consistent and fruitful. We dig into and learn from His Word and begin to hear His voice. When there is something in our lives that is displeasing to Him, we address it, and there is change in us. We co-labor with Jesus in the work He is doing, and we advance His Kingdom. We surround ourselves with those whose flames are vibrantly burning, because we know it’s contagious. We obey His voice and His leading. And, we never ever quit.
Friend, if you have already committed your life to Christ, there should be a fire burning inside of you to seek Him and to serve Him. But, perhaps today you find yourself in a place where that fire is barely a spark. Maybe you’ve grown complacent or feel as though your passion to serve God has diminished or is barely there. It could be because of circumstances, busyness, or simply because you have not placed Him as the priority He needs to be in your life. It could also be as simple as losing those disciplines in your life you once had, the disciplines of being in the Word of God, growing with other believers, and obeying His Word. Perhaps those disciplines were never really established in your life.
Whatever the reason is, today is the day to surrender to Christ whatever has kept your fire from vibrantly burning. Today is the day to rekindle the fire and to fan into flame the gift that God has placed inside of you. Today is the day to restore that passion you once had to serve God wholeheartedly. This is God’s desire for you, that you walk in the fullness of all that Christ has for you. I’ve heard it said, “The Father has graciously endowed you with a spiritual spark worthy of serving His Kingdom and His people. The foundational work is already done. So when you see it growing dim, start fanning. When cold winds rush through the dark valleys of difficulty, start fanning. Don’t accept a glowing ember when only a FULL blaze will do.”
I implore you today to fan the flame and live this one life you have been given to the fullest. Glorify God with it. Live it with passion and in pursuit of Almighty God, ready to emulate and imitate Christ, to serve Him and to fulfill all that God has for your life and those He has entrusted to you. Why? As I often speak over my children and as 1 Peter 2:9 states, “…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
As God’s own possession, His chosen people, fan the flame, son or daughter of God, let it burn with vibrancy, and proclaim Christ with your lips, with your actions, and with your life!
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