From Fisherman to Shepherd to Cancer Patient to Seminary Student

　　My calling began in 2000 as God spoke to me directly through the Bible and personal experiences. It became clear to me that God loves me so much that He wants me to be closer to Him and to serve Him throughout my life. Then in 2004, when I was diagnosed with cancer, God even demonstrated through this horrible disease how much He loves me and made me trust him wholeheartedly. God has been teaching me that He wants me to know that, no matter what happens or whatever I become physically, He will never forsake me! He has even given me courage to pass the test of faith and respond to His calling. Today, I hope that while I am still young, I can fully equip myself in the seminary to offer up my best to the Lord and serve Him throughout my life.

A Fisherman: A Fisher of Men

　　One day in 2000, during my devotional time, I was reading the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. At that moment, I perceived my call when I read the words of Jesus:

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed.” (Mt 4:19-20)

　　I wanted to ask God two questions about these verses:

1. Who are these “men” whom Jesus called?
2. Where do we today catch such “men”?

　　After raising these two questions, I continued to pray earnestly until the answers came a few months later.

Who are the Men?

　　The answer came when I was attending the funeral of the father of one of my Christian brothers. The time came for the people attending the funeral to come down and walk around the coffin to pay their last respects. It was then that God placed a picture in my mind. I saw it clearly that those people mourning the dead would also die one day. If they did not know Jesus as their Saviour, what would be the difference between these people and the man lying in the coffin? They too would leave this world without Jesus’ redemption. At that moment, I recalled the first question which I had asked while reading the book of Matthew. God had answered my question as I watched the procession of mourners that day. I could not stop crying about the lost condition of these souls and thinking how precious they are in God’s sight.

Where to Fish?

　　Later, when I was strolling along the Wan Chai waterfront, I pasted the Expo Promenade where I saw several people fishing. Some used professional spinning rods and reels, trying to catch fish in the deep water; some just used string to fish near the pier. I expected those professional anglers to catch more fish than the others. To my surprises, those fishing near the pier had caught more fish. This scene puzzled me, a person knowing nothing about fishing.

　　At that moment, it became abundantly clear what God wanted me to understand: It is He who directs us where we can catch the most fish (lost men and women). It is neither the fishing method nor the “bait” that matters so long as God directs us to fish. How amazing it was! My two questions – the “Who” and “Where” questions had just been answered.

　　After God had replied to my queries, I asked Him to continue to speak to me. I promised to be particularly attentive in order to understand His calling.

A Shepherd: Rod and Staff

　　Then, in 2003, God began to speak to me from Psalm 23:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps 23:4)

　　God was saying to me: “You are to receive the rod and staff that I give you.” Through this scripture, God put these words in my heart. I understand that a staff and a rod are used for pastoring and caring for sheep. Though I was still afraid to take up the pastoral ministry, I continued praying for God’s guidance and my openness to such a call.

　　I had a growing perception that God was inviting me to take up a pastoral role, using the rod and staff to pastor the sheep at church. Besides trembling with fear, I was beginning to feel a certain gladness. As I looked back at my church ministry and my company cell group, I realized I had already found great satisfaction in caring for others and ministering to their needs.

　　At the same time, as my company was going through some re-organization, I decided to resign from my job and began to have a one-hundred-day “Sabbath”. Throughout this period, God continued to speak to me through Psalm 23. I was able to listen carefully and respond to His calling with a deep sense of peace. At the end of 2003, I accepted God’s invitation. After making such a decision, my heart was freed from all worries and fears as I received His rod and staff. I am confident that I will one day take up the role of pastoring God’s loved sheep.

　　The story does not end here because I still lacked the courage to begin my pastoral ministry. Although my faith was so weak, God understood my weakness. He allowed me to receive a card with a scripture verse where Jesus said:

“Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:19-20)

　　This scripture encouraged me even as God continued to strengthen my faith through my serious illness, allowing me to experience His power and letting me know Him all the more deeply.

A Cancer Patient: a Great Journey to Experience God’s Wondrous Love

　　In a body check I had in October 2004, I learned that my white blood cell count had reached 326, while a normal count ranges from 4 to 10. I was diagnosed with blood cancer, namely chronic myeloid leukemia.

　　This unexpected bad news caused me to experience indescribable shock. That afternoon my wife and I were overwhelmed by darkness and a sense of hopelessness. We had believed in Jesus for about twenty years. At a rational level, we knew God would never leave us alone, but at that moment we could not claim the truth of that promise from God.

　　Before I entered the hospital, my home church pastor together with a group of our beloved Christian brothers and sisters gathered to support us at our home. We prayed and cried together. Then I was rushed into the hospital. My body went through ten days of intensive treatment, including injecting glucose and saltine solution one after another, blood washing to kill the cancer cells, and taking bone-marrow sampling. The treatment process was as emotionally earthshaking as it was physically and mentally painful, yet surprisingly I came through the treatment spiritually refreshed!

　　During this period, God showed me His great love. I could feel His love through everything happening around me:

• Brothers and sisters at church and in my company as well as my family members prayed for me eagerly and continuously.
• All the medical personnel gave me the best professional treatment and care possible.
• My lying sick in bed seemed to bring out the best in others. Some cooked, others prepared soup, others said the right words at the right time, and still others gave me the things I really seemed to need.
• The pain I had to endure during treatment enabled me to feel the pain that our Lord Jesus endured because of His deep love for us as he died on the cross. Remembering Christ’s suffering, my pain seemed to lessen.

　　After being discharged from the hospital, I needed to return for regular check-ups. Thank God that my doctor-in-charge told me that I had no increasing risk to infection and said my chances of recovery looked good. He even told me that I could start to work again.

A Seminary Student: Offer my Best to God

　　Throughout my journey of seeking to know God’s calling and leukemia treatment, I discovered that God was not just walking with me then but had been with me all the time. I thanked God for the opportunity to recognize His goodness: He was so trustworthy and kind, above everything else that I had ever experienced. In the past, I had served Jesus as well as Bill Gates, the wealthiest man in the world. Now I really hope to serve my Savior Jesus Christ throughout the rest of my life.

　　I would like to offer my best to the Lord. The best thing I can offer is my body, heart and soul. I pray that God will help me fully equip myself in the seminary and learn in the months and years ahead to be one who obeys God’s calling to be a faithful fisherman and shepherd.