Today's Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:5-11
"For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
One of the characters in the movie The Wizard of Oz was the Cowardly Lion. Think about that name for a moment. It represents two character traits that are polar opposites. One the one hand, he was a lion. Bold. Courageous. Fearless. On the other hand, he was timid, cowardly, fearful.
If that were a real person living with opposing character traits like that, it would have to produce some incredible tension in his or her life. It would be easy to say of ourselves, "Nah, I'm not like that." No one likes to think of themselves as cowardly or timid.
And yet, at least in our faith, we often are, which produces that tension in life. We know deep down we are to live in the power of the resurrection of Jesus, yet we find ourselves afraid to talk to others about it.
Jesus has something to say about that.
The Apostle Paul had occasion to remind his young protégé, Timothy, that he had been given a spirit of power, love, and discipline rather than a spirit of timidity or fear. And, that spirit of power had been given by God himself. Whatever Timothy's nature might have been originally, he had been given a new nature in Christ. Part of that new nature was power and strength.
This is where you can choose to begin again. As Paul said to Timothy, "kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you."
You see, you have a choice each day. You can choose to go through that day timidly. Unsure. Uncertain. Or, you can go through that day in the power of Jesus Christ and in the power of his resurrection, sure and certain that power will not only sustain you, but give you the courage to stand with Jesus.
Choose to begin again.
Think about it …
Spend time in prayer, asking God to free you from any timidity in your faith
What can you do to stir up the gift of God which is in you?
In what way can you show the power of God in your life to others?
Is there someone you can talk with about Jesus today?
