Rekindle

By Cindy Wiese

“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 NIV

Rekindle means “to cause to be active again; to fan the flame.”

The gift of God is translated in the Greek as a free gift of grace or undeserved favor. 

I love to watch a fire burning. At first it starts off a little slow, but as I stoke, poke, prod, and blow on it until I am dizzy, it suddenly begins to have large enough flames to become effective for its purpose. Fire can be your friend. It warms us when we are cold and can cook our food for nourishment. However, if the fire is neglected, it will eventually die down to nothing but embers. 

Fire, along with air, is essential for our environment both physically and spiritually. Firefighters may start a controlled fire to remove the dead and decayed matter that chokes the healthy parts of the environment. In other words, it purifies the environment. Additionally, the ashes that are left behind provide nutrients, or fertilizer, for the new growth. 

Our lives are much like a fire. At times we are on fire for the Kingdom of God. We are faithful in our prayer time and fellowship with God. Then the busyness of life happens. We have focused on life and not on fellowship with our Father. Our fellowship/relationship starts to decay. Life now seems out of control. “Wildfires” have now started to pop up, wildfires which are typically hard to control and destroy life and property. 

Before we know it, we have neglected to rekindle, or fan the flame, that God has gifted us with. It takes the controlled fire of the Holy Spirit to put out a self-inflicted wildfire. The embers of the environmentally safe fire of the Holy Spirit are still there. They never went out. They just need to be poked and prodded. Allow the breath of the Holy Spirit to rekindle the purifying fire. You will see new life begin to spring up from the ashes. Grace is most needed and best understood in the midst of a wildfire. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says: “Do not quench (subdue or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of) the Holy Spirit.” (AMP)

It is time to refocus our hearts towards the counsel of the Holy Spirit and rekindle the flame of the gift of our grace, unmerited favor. Just as this earth has a physical environment that is purified by controlled fire, we have a spiritual environment that we need to tend to through the firepower of the Holy Spirit. 

Challenge:

Ask God to speak to you about your spiritual environment. What areas of your life have been neglected where wildfires have popped up? Allow the Holy Spirit to rekindle the purifying flame of the embers of your life to restore back to you the joy of your salvation. Watch as new life begins to spring up! Refocus on the gift of grace you have been given. Who needs your gift of grace today? You? Someone else?