This post is Day 4 in a series of studies about “Gifts & Giving”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Gifts & Giving – Day 4

Timothy was the young pastor of a young church in Ephesus planted by Paul. Many spiritual gifts are given and received by the laying on of hands. Today we see this operating among Christians. But in Old Testament times the priests laid hands on the sacrifices before they were slaughtered.

1 Timothy 4:14

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

The Thought

Timothy was the young pastor of a young church in Ephesus planted by Paul. Paul wrote to Timothy two short letters which are recorded for us in the Bible. They are full of instructions about how to run a church group. It seems as though the elders had prophesied that Timothy would be the pastor. As they prayed and prophesied they had laid hands on him to receive this pastoral gift.

Many spiritual gifts are given and received by the laying on of hands. Today we see this gift operating among Christians. But in Old Testament times the priests laid hands on the sacrifices before they were slaughtered. The book of the law, Leviticus in our Bibles, has much to say about animal sacrifices and helps us to understand all that Jesus paid for us in giving us the amazing gift of His blood at the moment of His sacrifice on the cross.

Our Christian growth should encourage us to desire more spiritual gifts to use for Jesus. Many of these gifts can be received by the laying on of hands which is obviously what happened to Timothy in our verse for today.

Action

Pray today for those who have laid hands on you. Whether this was for you to receive a spiritual gift, (more of those later in this study) or for healing or peace.

Ask God if you are using all you have received. In the verse today Timothy was being encouraged to not neglect the gift he had received.

Praise Jesus that no matter how many gifts we have received from Him there are still many more available for us.