Experience God’s Grace within My Own Limitations

Wai-hung and his wife Suk-ching, their daughter How-yu and son Chin-yu

　　I am grateful for God’s leading me to respond to His call, enter HKBTS for training in my mid-age, and experience these unforgettable three years. Now, I am about to enter the second half of my life and turn over a new and wonderful leaf.

　　As I look back I see evidence of God’s abundant grace in these years.

Beginning from “Learning to Recognize My Own Limitations”

　　I still remember attending the Spiritual Formation Camp before the new school term began. Late in the afternoon of the first day, the Seminary set aside a time for first year students to share among ourselves. On the first day and in that late afternoon when we shared the difficulties, one remark from Dr. Andres Tang impressed me so deeply that it still rings in my ears. He said, “You have to learn to recognize your own limitations and to accept these limitations.” These words raised the curtain for my three years of seminary training and began the process in which I would experience God’s grace in such a wonderful way while accepting my own “limitations.”

　　For one like me who has entered mid-age, to re-enter a new life of study involved many constraints. It is true that my physical strength, mental capability, eyesight and memory have declined to some extent but greater limitations came from the more practical situations: as a husband and a father of two children, I had to shoulder my family responsibility and I also had to face my limitations in meeting these responsibilities. Very often, after fulfilling my family duties, it would already be 11 pm before I could “begin my work” to revise and do my homework. Time was most precious for me. I had at one time tried to let go of my family responsibilities but when my wife tutoring our two children single-handedly, handling disputes between them and helping them do their homework while she had to deal with her own teaching workload, I felt great indescribable sadness! I am most grateful to my wife for her consideration and support as she faithfully helped me overcome the difficulties I encountered one after another. I have learned to reciprocate her love by refraining from starting early my work!

　　These three years of seminary study have enabled me to once again learn to “understand my own limitations.” To me, to respond seriously to God’s call is to learn to do well every single homework assignment. I have no excuse not to try hard to study hard simply because of my limitations. In these months and years of training, I came to understand that “recognizing my limitations” is to accept that I am a finite being since only God is infinite. I have learned to discern what is more important and to lay down “what I want to do but that is not really so important.” These three years’ experience of being polished by God has not been easy for me, but I can say that God’s grace has always been sufficient!

The Singing Seminary

　　Joining “The Hill Singers” also enabled me to experience God’s grace in my seminary studies. To me, the choir is a place to discipline oneself as a team member. Therefore, I chose this ministry post within my “limitations.” Wednesday is scheduled for choir practice, and this became a challenge to my managing the already heavy school work. But then, the regular choir practice also served as a discipline over the past three years. I constantly reminded myself to take every choir practice seriously and to treasure the preparation for subsequent choral presentations. Over the past three years, “The Hill Singers” went to minister in different churches and traveled to the Mainland three times for church music exchange. I could experience how God’s wonderful creation of music and found myself touched and jolted by the hymns as we sang them over and again. My heart overflowed with gratitude as I saw how the music moved and awoke hearts as “The Hill Singers” sang in different venues. So when President Cho announced that HKBTS would be a “Singing Seminary,” my heart repeatedly echoed his words with a hearty Amen. It is my sincere prayer that God will help the Seminary to advance in this positive direction.

Cheer on, Buddy!

　　Besides acquiring spiritual knowledge and exercising spiritual discipline, I have also received another precious reward: coming to know a group of wonderful classmates. Although we might not always be in absolute agreement, I can honestly say that through these three years of interaction we have managed to build a strong community of support as we prepare for a life of ministry. We have moved from being strangers to being so closed that we call one another “buddy.” Sometimes, in the stillness of the night, when we are sitting at our computers doing our homework, the words appear on the monitor, “Buddy, cheer on.” Such encouragement and friendship among our classmates have kept us from feeling lonely or isolated throughout these three years of study. At times, there would appear in our mail box a card of encouragement or a small box of throat lozenge to express our mutual support. I pray with thanksgiving for the love that is felt among classmates and for the brotherly love that is expressed through such mutual support. It is this kind of love that enables us to become both a community of faith and a disciple community!

Endless Thanksgiving

　　Looking back over my learning experience at HKBTS, I must offer my endless thanksgiving to God, especially for His preparation for a team of dedicated teachers who are not only scholars but also the life mentors. At this point, I give thanks to each of you, our teachers for your love and concern, your teaching and pastoral car, your high expectation of us, and your kindness at difficult times. You have enabled us to grow and mature in our lives over these three years. I must thank our teachers on behalf of our students and thank our Father God for all of our teachers. My prayer is that He will continue to look after HKBTS, train more unashamed workmen who faithfully ministers for God all their lives, and who correctly handle God’s Word of truth!