God Determines our Future
Last Wednesday (July 10) marked the release of HKDSE results. Praise the Lord, most DSE students of our Youth Zone got fairly good grades, standing a good chance to attend local universities.
DSE is one of the most important hurdles the youth must overcome in life. With good results, they shall go to the universities of their preference. Otherwise, they take on other paths, turning a new page in life. If they do not go to a university at this moment in life, does it mean that they cannot be used by God all their lives? It’s certainly not the case because the DSE results only mark a starting point in life. Our lives are in God’s hands. Moving forward and changing the learning methods, your way will surely become better as you rely on God. The outlook of your life will be brighter and Hong Kong will be better because of you.
Dear youngsters, may I urge you not to give up study lightly, not even when your grades are not good enough for university. University education is considered only as basic nowadays, hence it is necessary that we finish it so that we may be of greater use to God later in life. As a student in my youth, I encountered various obstacles in my study. After much efforts and determination, I managed to finish my university education.
In 1973, I sat for HKCEE, by God’s Grace, I barely passed English and made my way to form six at my original school. After failing the university entrance exam the first time, I made a few more attempts, working during the day and doing self-study at night. On one hand, I engaged in usual social life such as courtship as a youth but still I spent much time looking after my mother who was seriously ill. Those days were truly hard and at the end, the door to a Hong Kong university remained closed to me. Even so, I never gave up studying. Until 1977, when I was 23, my mother died of cancer. Then I had the chance to leave Hong Kong and went to study in Taiwan. Yet, it still
took me one whole year doing a pre-university course before entering into a university.
On the other hand, my saving was insufficient to support my five years’ expenses in Taiwan. But thank God for granting me scholarships. My study in Hong Kong was far from satisfactory. Determined to prepare myself for serving the Lord, I was highly motivated to do my best in my study in Taiwan. Therefore, I got better result and hence scholarship. It’s truly by God’s grace that I was able to complete my university study. Dear youngsters, regardless of how great pressure you are under now, I encourage you to never give up study. Don’t lose hope simply because your results are not good at the moment. We should set our mind on life-long learning and at least finish the university course. We must believe that our future lies in God’s hands, not which university or faculty we study.
Thank God! Today our heavenly Father is taking 611 by His hands and leading us forward and toward establishing church-run schools including kindergarten, primary school and even secondary school and university in the future. It is because both family and education are the important soil for planting Trees of Life. Dear brothers and sisters, especially the youth, let us follow God closely and prepare ourselves to respond to the vision and calling of our church on education. • [2019.07.14]