Mon., 10/29/12 Devotion (2 Tim. 1:6-7)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Timothy 1:6 & 7, where we read these words of Paul, to the minister Timothy:

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

The good spiritual gifts God gives us, His ministers and parishioners, can sometimes settle, and become somewhat "dormant." When this happens, we lose our edge, our courage, and our zeal. Just as some-times we have to "stoke" the coals in a fireplace to revive the flame--so we must do the same thing with the gifts resident in our souls.

Let us remember this: in a fallen world even good things tend to grav-itate downward. It is our responsibility to refresh God's graces in us, from Lord's Day to Lord's Day, (and then throughout the week).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Observe the happy condition of every child of God. All things work for his good, the best and worst things."
--Thomas Watson, in, "All Things for Good"]