Gifting in the Spirit to get up and go
When Timothy was thrust into a difficult task, Paul prayed and laid hands upon him with other elders, and God blessed Timothy for the work, a normal procedure. A similar situation is found in Acts 13:1–3. The church at Antioch laid hands on Paul and Silas to “separate” them for the work to which God had already called them. No “gifting” was attempted, but the laying on of hands was more than a ritual—it identified a need for strength from God. One can hardly suppose anybody would choose one “gift” of the nine for a young fellow left alone in a pagan world with a small company of believers, as if it were a going-away present. I cannot imagine which one Paul and the elders would choose for the big task that lay ahead of Timothy, but a general pastoral gifting—yes. Another scripture quoted for “gifting” is the passage in 2 Kings 2, where Elisha asked Elijah to give him a double portion of his spirit. Elijah said it was a hard thing but promised it would be so if Elisha saw Eli...