“Keeping the Flame
going!”
Yesterday, Jen and the kids went to early church and confirmation
class before driving up to her sister’s house for haircuts. I went to Bible study and late church before
heading home to spend an afternoon at home – just me and Zeke (chocolate lab)
to do as we wished. I made myself a list
of things to get done: laundry, new pads
on the kitchen chairs, organize all my hunting stuff from last fall, organize
fishing stuff for the coming season, marinade chicken for supper, sharpen my
pocket knife, etc. I did these things at
a relaxed pace while watching the Daytona 500 with the TV volume turned way
up. I also started a fire in the
fireplace. It has been a long time since
I had six hours free to do whatever I wanted.
Each task got completed and checked off the list, but one task never
even made it onto the list. It was a
task that lasted longer than any other – in fact it lasted into the late
evening. The task of keeping the fire
going in the fireplace needed regular attention. A few times, I looked up from my work to find
red coals without a flame. I had to stir
the coals, add wood, and blow on the coals – ah, a beautiful fire emerged
again.
Later, when Jen got back home, she was talking to a friend
on the phone. She reminded her friend of
a favorite Bible passage. Here it
is: “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 did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of
love, and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy
1:6,7. As Jen shared the verse with
her friend, I was reminded of how, like tending the fire in the fireplace, we
need to be “tending” our faith on a regular basis so we don’t lose it. If I had ignored the fire, it would have
extinguished. If I ignore my gift of God
(faith), it can be something I extinguish as I live life. Notice, I would extinguish it, not God. Tending to a fire and tending to our faith –
something we need to be vigilant about as God’s people!!
Family Discussion Points!
Who builds fires in your family in the fireplace? Camping?
Etc.
If you had 6 hours to do whatever you wanted, what would it
be? Each family member share!
How do you “tend” your gift of God (faith) on a regular
basis? Is there something to work on in
your life as you consider this?
