Good morning…
I slept well in the afterglow of the Women’s Lenten Communion Service. Now quietly I sit and savor the Scriptures saturating last night’s trip-fold bulletin.
Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, [that special endowment] which was intentionally bestowed on you [by the Holy Spirit]… Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself [concentrate on your personal development] and to your teaching; persevere in these things [hold to them], for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:14-16, AMP).
…I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment]… For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control] (2 Timothy 1:6-7, AMP).
The word “endowment” grabs my attention. Endowment seems like such a worldly word, smacking of money and stockpiling, the rich getting richer. But as I research further I learn God’s take on the word. Endowment means to be gifted with a permanent reserve of endless resource, to be furnished with a unique talent or a life-giving quality. To endow is to equip and empower. To bestow and bequeath. To supply and support. To provide and promote. Before we are born, God endows each of us with a one-of-a-kind spiritual gift.
God’s Holy Spirit bestows on us a special endowment, a gracious gift, an inner fire all our own. What will we do with this reserve of endless resource? We can neglect it or be completely absorbed by it, practicing and working hard at unwrapping God’s gift. We can hinder God’s Holy Spirit with our human spirit of timidity, cowardice, and fear or we can pay close attention, concentrating wholeheartedly on our personal development and God’s daily teaching. We can leave our special endowment undone, unused, untapped, or we can persevere and progress transparently, our spiritual growth gradually evident to all, fanning into flame the Spirit of power and love, sound judgement and personal abilities.
Each day presents a choice: will I neglect or nurture God’s endowment? One choice will lead to more timidity, more cowardice, fueling more and more fear. The other choice will result in a calm, well-balanced mind, self-controlled by God’s living Spirit. Ultimately, our daily decisions are designed to ensure salvation, which at its essence means wholeness. If we choose wisely today, the next day and the next, we will ensure wholeness for ourselves and for all those who hear our life speak.
…Sue…
