Spiritual CPR

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2 Timothy 1:6–7 (NRSV)
[Paul writing to Timothy]
6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Meditation:
            My spirit is undergoing a revival. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him to rekindle the gift of God within, I feel God seeking to rekindle in me the love and courage I had at the beginning of my Christian walk. I hear in my prayer time the words of Jesus from Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you that you have left your first love (Jesus). It is true I confess it. In my heart I have substituted many things in place of loving Jesus the way I did at first.
            But God is a merciful God rich in loving kindness and grace, slow to anger, and quick to forgive. I admit that sometimes I have cheapened grace in my life. I have allowed other occupations to interfere with loving God and God’s children the way I God wants me to love them.
            I have been guilty of thinking that speaking out against things I know to be evil and wrong would be unloving. My faith has been held captive by fear. Fear of not being liked. Fear of being alone because of my faith in Jesus. I have asked Jesus to forgive me for being unloving and unkind to others and myself.
            I pray that the spirit of power and self control will take over my life. I ask that God would guide me in all humility into the work which God has prepared for me to do. From the local homeless shelter to pulpit supply to writing these meditations I am aware of God’s increasing power in my life. The power to obey God humbly and do things that build up God’s own children that I meet in this life is what I seek.
            I encourage you my readers to fan into flame the love of God within you. Together we can set this world on fire for Jesus. Let us each seek the good of our neighbor. Help us to be armed with nothing but unconditional love for our neighbor. So that we can care for them and bring glory to God in the process, and Lord willing lead them to saving faith in Jesus.
            Recent surveys have shown that unbelievers want contact with Christians. They want to know what we are for not what we are against. They would love to be invited to church. The surveys show that they desire to know what the Bible means, and why it is important to Christians. There is real hunger out there for God let us not let that hunger lead to starvation and eternal death.
            The word revival has, I know, some unfortunate baggage attached to it. But revival is not about hellfire and damnation, it is living again. If we revive a person whose heart has stopped beating with CPR that is not a bad thing, but a very good thing. Let us be as diligent to revive the spiritually dead through the spiritual CPR of our Care, Prayer and Response to the needs of our neighbor. Amen.

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