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Wednesday 15 November 2017
Sunday 13 April 2014
The Calling of a Student
Dear KSers, came across this and thought it would be a good read for us as students. Although the targeted audience is probably American youths (hence the terms 'high school' and 'college') going on to university, I think this article can still act as a timely reminder for any Christian student on what our calling should be!
The article below was written by David Noorman, a member of the Faith Protestant Reformed Church in Jenison, Michigan, who is currently attending the Protestant Reformed Seminary. The article has been taken from the Beacon Lights March 2014 issue. Beacon Lights is a magazine of the Protestant Reformed Young People.
~Song Jia
Students: What is your vocation? Have you made a career choice? Would you consider it your calling? If you are like the typical college student, your answer to that question likely is not a very confident one.
It is not unusual to consider the college years as a quest to find one's role in life. There are many questions that must be answered during that time. Should I major in Business? Biology? History? Am I meant to teach? Research? Run a business? The choices are endless and the decisions are intimidating. Even once a decision is made, the uncertainty may never quite go away. Students might settle on a major or a discipline, but what will they do with it? One way or another, the college student is faced with difficult decisions, with the future seemingly hanging in the balance.
Even if you find yourself in this situation - surrounded by the uncertainty of college, waiting to find your way to your true calling - put aside the tough questions about the future for just a moment. Forget about whether you should drop your organic chemistry class or pick up another Spanish class. Stop worrying about whether you want to go with a marketing or finance concentration. Just ignore, for a moment, that you're really not sure why you're taking that one (terrible) class. The time to answer these questions will come, but there is a more pressing issue at hand.
Let's look at the vocation of the student in a broad sense of the word. Do college students have a vocation, or a calling, even in the limbo of the college years? In some ways, not really - yet. But even at this very moment, in the midst of all the uncertainty of course withdrawals, major changes, and career-altering decisions, the answer is absolutely yes.
In the academic sphere of life, students are called to use their talents to the best of their abilities. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." (Col 3:23). Do your work well. Prepare for your classes (Make sure you go to class!). Try to do more than just good enough. Do it heartily, as to the Lord!
This is easier said than done. I'll be the first to admit it. After meeting on the first day of class and taking a quick look at the syllabus, the temptation is to see just how many classes and assignments you can skip without drastically affecting your grade. But that is the attitude of men-pleasers. As children of God, we ought to try to live up to a higher standard - even higher than the course requirements on the syllabus - the standard of the Lord.
Another important aspect of taking the college life seriously is developing the skills required to learn. Learn how to read. To listen. To take notes. To study. To persuade. To critique. These are life-long skills that every Christian should develop throughout life and will undoubtedly use throughout life. The years you spend going to school - high school, college, or beyond - are great opportunities to develop those skills.
The vocation of a college student relates to life in the church. Even though students are in some ways waiting to enter the "real world", believing students are never waiting to be a part of the body of Christ. Each student has a role, a calling both in the church universal and in your local congregation. Despite the uncertainty of the college years, a child of God does not enter a state of limbo in the life of the church. The gifts of the student, both now and later, are a valuable part of the body of Christ.
There are other reasons to take part in the life of your church. Not only do you have gifts that can be used for the benefit of the body, but other members of the church will also have their own gifts and talents to help you. To withhold yourself from the life of the church is to forfeit the benefits that others may have to offer to you as a student. Attend Bible studies and discussion groups - see what you can learn about God and about life. Have conversations with other members of your congregation (especially the older ones). You'd be surprised at the wisdom and guidance that they will be able to offer you at this point in your life.
Though in many ways the college years are a search for a vocational identity, there is one identity that is always sure for the believer - his identity in Christ as a child of God. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). Our calling as children of God is a daily, life-long calling to live a life of thankfulness. It does not begin with graduation or your first real job; the calling to serve our God is always with us. No matter what it is you might be doing in this life, and whatever answers you find to all those mind-numbing, future-determining college decisions, don't ever neglect that most important calling - the calling to serve the Lord.
Even if you find yourself in this situation - surrounded by the uncertainty of college, waiting to find your way to your true calling - put aside the tough questions about the future for just a moment. Forget about whether you should drop your organic chemistry class or pick up another Spanish class. Stop worrying about whether you want to go with a marketing or finance concentration. Just ignore, for a moment, that you're really not sure why you're taking that one (terrible) class. The time to answer these questions will come, but there is a more pressing issue at hand.
Let's look at the vocation of the student in a broad sense of the word. Do college students have a vocation, or a calling, even in the limbo of the college years? In some ways, not really - yet. But even at this very moment, in the midst of all the uncertainty of course withdrawals, major changes, and career-altering decisions, the answer is absolutely yes.
In the academic sphere of life, students are called to use their talents to the best of their abilities. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." (Col 3:23). Do your work well. Prepare for your classes (Make sure you go to class!). Try to do more than just good enough. Do it heartily, as to the Lord!
This is easier said than done. I'll be the first to admit it. After meeting on the first day of class and taking a quick look at the syllabus, the temptation is to see just how many classes and assignments you can skip without drastically affecting your grade. But that is the attitude of men-pleasers. As children of God, we ought to try to live up to a higher standard - even higher than the course requirements on the syllabus - the standard of the Lord.
Another important aspect of taking the college life seriously is developing the skills required to learn. Learn how to read. To listen. To take notes. To study. To persuade. To critique. These are life-long skills that every Christian should develop throughout life and will undoubtedly use throughout life. The years you spend going to school - high school, college, or beyond - are great opportunities to develop those skills.
The vocation of a college student relates to life in the church. Even though students are in some ways waiting to enter the "real world", believing students are never waiting to be a part of the body of Christ. Each student has a role, a calling both in the church universal and in your local congregation. Despite the uncertainty of the college years, a child of God does not enter a state of limbo in the life of the church. The gifts of the student, both now and later, are a valuable part of the body of Christ.
There are other reasons to take part in the life of your church. Not only do you have gifts that can be used for the benefit of the body, but other members of the church will also have their own gifts and talents to help you. To withhold yourself from the life of the church is to forfeit the benefits that others may have to offer to you as a student. Attend Bible studies and discussion groups - see what you can learn about God and about life. Have conversations with other members of your congregation (especially the older ones). You'd be surprised at the wisdom and guidance that they will be able to offer you at this point in your life.
Though in many ways the college years are a search for a vocational identity, there is one identity that is always sure for the believer - his identity in Christ as a child of God. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). Our calling as children of God is a daily, life-long calling to live a life of thankfulness. It does not begin with graduation or your first real job; the calling to serve our God is always with us. No matter what it is you might be doing in this life, and whatever answers you find to all those mind-numbing, future-determining college decisions, don't ever neglect that most important calling - the calling to serve the Lord.
Tuesday 11 February 2014
CNY Visitation Recap
Recap of what we learnt during CNY visitation last Sat:
(1) At Josiah's house
As God's people, we are a spiritual community (Greek word 'koinonia' [Acts 2:42]), which
- is founded upon our common union with Jesus Christ
- has a common goal: to glorify God in our worship and proclamation of the Gospel
- demonstrates our common love for one another in our sharing of both spiritual and physical blessings with each other.
(2) At Alethea's & Athan's house
Psa 127:1-3
While the world attributes their success to hard work and/or luck, we Christians look to God to bless the work of our hands. Duty is ours, outcome is the Lord's.
(1) At Josiah's house
As God's people, we are a spiritual community (Greek word 'koinonia' [Acts 2:42]), which
- is founded upon our common union with Jesus Christ
- has a common goal: to glorify God in our worship and proclamation of the Gospel
- demonstrates our common love for one another in our sharing of both spiritual and physical blessings with each other.
(2) At Alethea's & Athan's house
Psa 127:1-3
While the world attributes their success to hard work and/or luck, we Christians look to God to bless the work of our hands. Duty is ours, outcome is the Lord's.
Sunday 8 September 2013
KS-KSS Retreat 2013: Shining for Christ in a Time of Darkness
The annual KS RETREAT draws nearer and nearer! Have you booked 23-27 Dec (5-day camp again!!!) on your calendar yet?
Registration has opened, so do head down to the booth in the carpark after service! There is an early bird discount if you sign up early (with payment)! The camp committee says, "Our accommodation limit is about 40. If however you sign up on time, we are able to make appropriate arrangements for more. Signing up late might mean we are unable to accommodate you (making you a day camper) or you might sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag."
And indeed, it will be completely different because this year it'll be a combined retreat with KSS! Look forward to a time of bonding with the older youths in church! :D
Saturday 6 October 2012
Fear God or Fear Man?
The following is an excerpt taken from a pamphlet created by SYFC (Singapore Youth For Christ) in a series called 'Age of Opportunity'. As it is addressed to parents, I've adapted it so that it addresses us youths.
Do you know the way peer pressure works and the way the pressured responds?
1) Numbers usually win. The more people there are to persuade you, the more easily you will 'accept' what they say.
2) Giving in is the safest (or easiest). Most often, we choose the way of least resistance.
3) Cite no choice as excuse. In Exodus 32:21-24, Aaron insisted he was in no position to argue or turn the situation around.
4) Put the blame on others.
We, teenagers are easily susceptible to peer pressure because we are in the process of taking over the reins of managing their relationships from our parents. When we are young, parents determine who we spend time with. However, as teenagers now, we seek to distinguish our individuality while wanting acceptance from peers, so we are highly sensitive to how others view us and if we are accepted or rejected.
In this transition is much insecurity - we fear how others will view our true self and so will adapt to what we think are acceptable to others. We need to counter this fear or man, by going to God who can change our hearts to fear Him. "O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him." Psalm 34:9 shows us that when God is the one we live for, the one we seek to please, we will be fulfilled.
We need to treasure God's acceptance over man's acceptance such that we can choose to do what is right over compromising our values to gain friends. Practically, we are to see how we may relate our choices and values to our friends. For example, we can learn how to say no graciously and thus maintaining the friendships will go a long way. While we do not want to be influenced negatively, we hope that we can be the positive influence to our friends. What better way than to share with our friends the hope we have in the gospel!
May we constantly pray that we can rise above peer pressure to do what pleases the Lord. :)
~Song Jia
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