Pray That God Will Raise Up Those Who Proclaim the Gospel

Han-sun and Siu-lin

Beginning with a Prayer

　　From October to December of 2007, I was reading the minor prophets in the Bible for my daily devotions. Following my church’s Bible Reading Scheme, I came to the topic, “The Judgment of God.” I became aware of a recurring message: God will eradicate those who will not repent and follow him. But God is actually not willing to put them to death. This scripture message provoked me to begin praying persistently that God would raise up those who would proclaim the gospel for him.

　　Then one morning in early November, I was reading Zephaniah 1:2-3: “‘I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,’ declared the Lord. ‘I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth,’ declared the Lord.” Once again, I prayed that God would raise up those who would proclaim the gospel for him. Just then, a voice spoke to me: “Are you willing to proclaim the gospel message for me full time?” At that time I neither responded nor took this to heart. It was only after that voice spoke three times that week when I began to struggle with the question of whether or not this was really God’s call. I felt astounded. For several years I had been running a tutorial center. I had never considered serving God full time, nor had it ever occurred to me that God would call me to do so.

　　When I shared this struggle with my wife, Siu Lin, she was also taken by surprise. She asked me a few questions. (1) Was it God’s call or was it only my own feeling or idea? (2) If it really was God’s call, was I willing to accept and obey him with pleasure? (3) Did I have sufficient strength, qualifications and the right spiritual qualities to be a minister of God? In the weeks that followed, we thought seriously and unceasingly about the matter, discussed it frequently and then determined to pray about it, seeking God’s will above all else.

How Can My Thought Impose Restriction on God?

　　To Sin Lin’s second question, my answer was positive. At that time, I saw myself as one who was redeemed and able to stand upright before God, worshipping him in the sanctuary and ministering for him. How great was God’s grace! How could I repay God’s love for me? I also desired to work for God, proclaim His message and lead people to repent and turn back to God. Looking over my past, I recalled how God had renewed my spiritual life so that I no longer focused on myself, paid full attention to my busy work schedule or searched for worldly happiness. It was true that there was a time when I had attended church even though my heart was far from God. At that time I had not taken up my cross daily and followed Christ with all my heart. In those days I often forgot about God’s love and care. It was not until I began to stumble continually along life’s road that I realized how melancholic, dreary and time-wasting it was for me to be alone without God walking beside me. Then when I began to look to God again, I was surprised to discover that it was through his discipline that I repented. I felt the pain and remorse but was grateful for his patience, mercy and abiding presence even when I was indifferent. I was deeply impressed by God’s love and resolved to turn to him completely, not to allow anything to replace God’s primacy in my heart, not to follow my own wisdom and not to go my own way but God’s. I was willing to entrust my whole life to God and allow God to take pleasure in using me for his glory. Realizing that time passes quickly, I promised God: If you call me, I will respond while I am still young.

　　By God’s grace, I was given the opportunity to serve and learn to secure a number of ministry positions in my church: In the Children’s Worship Service and the Children’s Sunday School, I could learn to serve with patience and humility; in church music ministry, I could learn to praise God with my voice and all my life. I did not deserve to serve in these ministries; in fact, no one deserves to serve God. From an objective point of view, I lacked the qualifications to serve God full time. Considering my limited spiritual life or ministerial experiences, I was not qualified. From my own viewpoint, to serve God full time seemed hardly imaginable and totally impossible. Since God’s thoughts are always higher than mine, how could my thoughts restrict God’s? For with God, nothing is impossible; all I needed to do was to trust God and obey him. The reason I was called was simply because God was willing to use me and not because of any qualification or ability I might have. Although I was undeserving, I was willing to respond to God’s call with obedience and to follow his will with all my heart. I was finally convinced that by counting on the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, I would have the gift and power that I need to glorify him and serve men and women faithfully.

Both the Couple Responded in Unison

　　In order to affirm whether it was God’s call or only my own desire, I began praying everyday, seeking God’s verification. Through my doubt and struggles, I have learned to stay in God’s presence, waiting silently and patiently for his reply. As a result, my faith in God was strengthened day by day. I must thank God that he listens to our prayers and gave both of us evidences of His call. First, God gave me the first verification through my church pastor. In mid-December, I shared my experience of God’s call with my pastor and received his strong affirmation and encouragement. He told me that he recently had had the same thought about me. I treasured my pastor’s verification which strengthened my faith and confirmed my call.

　　God also gave me a second verification through my wife. Siu Lin frankly said she did not approve it at first, as she did not want our present stable way of life to be drastically disrupted. However, God changed her heart through prayer and Bible study, leading her to submit herself to God’s will. One day in mid-December last year, she was doing her regular devotional Bible study, using a devotional guidebook. The scripture that day was Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Her heart was touched and she made a special mark beside that verse. Amazingly, that same day she read the same scripture verse in the responsive reading section in the Sunday Service. At last, she was finally touched, assured that God was speaking to her, telling her to be of the same heart with her husband in responding to God’s call. In fact, she did not tell me right away but waited until I had had my own affirmation. In early January of 2008, she again hesitated, wanting to postpone the decision for a year. But in her private devotion the following day, God reminded her through Matthew 4:21-22 that when Jesus called James and John, they followed him at once. At that moment, she confirmed God’s call once again and felt strongly that we should not hesitate but to respond immediately.

Prayed and Made a Wish in front of the Wailing Wall

　　When I quietly reminisced, I realized that God had been preparing my heart over the past few years. In 2007, I had had the opportunities to listen to several people giving their testimonies of God’s call. In the beginning of that year, I got to know a seminary student doing his practicum in my church and invited him to join our prayer group. His testimony of God’s call left a deep impression in my heart. In May of the following year, I joined a sightseeing tour to Israel and on the way met some ministers and seminary students. They shared with me their testimonies of God’s call and witnessed to me God’s mighty work on their lives. In Jerusalem, I prayed and made a solemn promise at the Wailing Wall, “Lord, I am willing to offer myself up to you and to accept any arrangement you make in my life.” Now God clearly responded to my prayer and extended his call to me. How then could I say “No”?

　　In August I joined my church’s summer camp and I was led to see the vision of my church after reconstruction. I made an oath before the Lord to equip myself and began preparing myself to fit in with my church’s future development. After that, I enrolled in a part-time Masters of Christian Studies Program. Although I had no plans to pursue full time seminary study, God was gradually preparing my heart for this. Even though studying God’s word was not so easy, God opened my eyes to see the joy of studying his word.

Learning to be One Who Proclaims the Gospel

　　In order to verify further God’s guidance, I joined the HKBTS’s Experiencing Seminary Life Camp in February 2008. In the camp, God continued to speak to me through the hymn, “Please Send Me.” This powerful hymn also helped me realize that God had sown the seed in my heart three years before. Neither did I listen to this hymn nor sing it in the church, but three years ago I learned to sing this song after I had casually talked with a colleague. He liked this song very much and he taught me to sing it. I learned it and liked the melody. At home, I would without thinking begin to sing this song, repeating the chorus over and over: “Please send me, let me proclaim…” Incidentally, I came across this song once again in the camp and I meditated on the lyrics, talked with God through the song and prayed silently with all my heart, “Please send me.”

　　I decided to serve God full time in response to his love and call to me. Thank God for leading me each step of the way. God helped me choose the right seminary for me and make all the arrangements and preparations. In retrospect, ever since I came to Christ, my church has been preparing me for my life’s ministry. After I had joined Sham Shui Po Baptist Church, I worshipped and served God there and began to consider it to be my spiritual home. It was through the church I came to learn about Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary. When I was preparing to apply for a seminary, my pastor suggested that I go to HKBTS. As a result, under God’s leading, I applied for admission in February 2008, closed my tutorial center in July and entered HKBTS to receive theological training.

　　Thank God for responding to my prayers and calling me. From now on, I am willing to learn to be God’s servant, and who proclaims the gospel of God.