STIR IT UP


2 Timothy 1:6-7 (link to paragraph)
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 gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.


My Paraphrase:
Because of who you are, stir up the calling, skills, and passions God gave you. Stir them up because God has given us an identity—not a fearful identity—but a powerful, loving, and self-controlled identity.

The message to Timothy is the message to us. We have no reason to take fear as our identity. We may feel the emotion of fear—in fact we likely will—but fear is not part of who we are. Who we are is decided by God, not by us, and God has decided that we are powerful, loving and self-controlled. Our part is to stir up this identity; our part is to become who we are.


Tag(s):

“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

2 comments:

  1. As I finished writing the lectio in my journal (on actual paper...Moleskine to be exact...good stuff), I looked around for a visual. There was a bike parked near the table where i was sitting and the notion of the gears resonated with the idea of power and participation. Gears multiply your effort, but they do not do anything if you are not peddling.

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  2. Nice analogy. It captures the connectedness notion as well!

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