Fan the Flame Within
This week our students are away at camp. I loved camp as well, but my favorite trips to take during my youth group days here at Valley View were the backpacking trips. Kerry Jones, our student pastor at the time, would take a group of boys out into the Red River Gorge, or Big South Fork, or the Smokies, and teach us how to camp and hike and carry all our gear. One of the essential skills was learning to build a fire and learning the importance of oxygen to fan the flame. In the early life of a fire, when just a little wisp of a flame has begun, if you blow gently, it nudges it along quite well.
Sunday we looked at the church in Sardis, how Jesus encouraged them to repent and make sure not to be focused on appearances, but on true life. They had the appearance of being alive, but were mostly dead. How do we fan the ember of spiritual life into a flame? After the service Tom Noonan brought to my attention 2 Timothy 1:6 “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.” How did I not mention this verse Sunday I have no idea. I love how it points out that the gift is already in you. There may be times where you feel distant from God, but if you know Him, then He is still there within you. The next step is to “fan into flame the gift of God.”
I’ve found a powerful way to do this is through fellowship with other Christians. Last year I met up with three other pastors for a few days of prayer and planning. Each of us came with burdens and questions and challenges, and we came ready to encourage one another. I left there refreshed and pumped up – they really knew how to fan the gift into a flame. It reminded me of the time I was car camping with some friends. Our fire had started to dwindle, so I began blowing on the logs, without much effect. I then remembered the trick of using a paper plate to literally “fan the flame.” It was helping some, but still not enough. Then one guy brought out his air mattress pump, plugged it up, and turned it on the fire – and in seconds it was a roaring bonfire! That’s what Christian friendship can be like with your spiritual life. We need one another to breathe fresh passion into our spiritual lives. You can’t live the Christian life in isolation.
So let me encourage you to reach out to someone this week to meet with them for coffee or lunch and just talk about where you are spiritually. Share with them the areas that need some fanning and see if you can’t hear from God through them. Keep praying for our students this week. Summer camp can be an amazing time of spiritual growth. Many life-changing decisions have been made during this one week.
I’m so grateful for Valley View. I grew up believing this is the best church in the world and I feel that way as much now as ever. Thank you for all the ways you pray for this church and the steps of faith you take every day to share the love of Christ with the Southend of Louisville!