Joni And Friends Daily Devotional 3 June 2024, Monday Message
TOPIC: Stir the Gift of the Spirit
“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.” – 2 Timothy 1:6
One of my favorite summertime activities is to tent camp. There’s nothing like a campfire in the morning when you get up. And the smell of those sizzling eggs and bacon…yum.
Shortly after breakfast my husband, Ken, will let the fire die down. Then at suppertime Ken has to start the fire again. But this is an economical man. Instead of starting from scratch, Ken will poke the coals, searching for the tiniest spark of life. Sure enough, way down in the ashes there will usually be a glowing coal left over from the morning campfire. He nurtures it with dry grass and leaves until it’s roaring once again. It seems that no matter how small the spark or how dim the flicker, Ken can bring a fire back to life.
It’s the same with the Spirit of Christ in our lives. Sometimes the spark may be small, but if there is the tiniest ember, the slightest hint of obedience in our Christian life, it’s not too late to be revived.
God has given us light, knowledge, and a new heart. He has given you and me grace and a new nature—and he has deprived us of every excuse if we do not live for his praise. So if we are not holy, whose fault is it but our own? If we do not appear sanctified, who can we blame but ourselves?
How about you? Do you feel the ashes smoldering, even if faintly? Do you sense life within, even if feeble? Nurture it. Gently fan the spark—follow through on the nudge to obey, spend a little time in prayer, revive yourself in God’s Word. Don’t neglect the grace, the heart, and the new nature God has given you. Poke around and get the fire of the Spirit going in your life.
Forgiving Father, I pray with the psalmist, “Renew a steadfast spirit within me…Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”
Joni Eareckson Tada is an American evangelical Christian author, radio host, artist, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization “accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community”.