Christ Jesus, help me rekindle the power, love and self-discipline of the Holy Spirit within me…

 
2 Timothy 1:1-12

Tending a campfire recently, it struck me how key it is to have kindling at hand - small, dry, branches or pieces of wood that will ignite easily. Kindling is used both to grow the flames of a newly started fire, and to revive a fire that is dying. Like all of the Apostles, Paul and Timothy recognized the fire of the Holy Spirit that had fallen upon them when they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. All baptized Christians have obviously been touched by the flame of the Spirit, but without the tinder of teaching, and the breath of prayer and scripture, the Holy flame may never take hold in a person’s being. And even if a person continues to throw the tiny twigs of occasional ‘emergency prayers’ or sporadic attendance the flame of the Holy Spirit of God at work in heart, mind, and soul will never strengthen. Only when (I) throw on the kindling of persistent, and self-disciplined power and love, gained through committed prayer, prayerful reading of scriptures, and the spiritual exercise of worshiping God in community and receiving Christ Jesus in Holy Communion, can the Holy power and Love of God leap to life in my life. This is an active, not merely a passive, pursuit, this enkindling of the Spirit that is within. Will I try to merely survive life using my own power and love, or will I enkindle the Spirit within me by disciplining myself to soak in the power and the love of God and become his instrument of creation and healing in the world?
 
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Land Savior Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 3: 17)
 
Make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection and mutual affection with love.
Second letter of St. Peter to the young churches, chapter 1, v.5-7
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
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