"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12)
I was intently pursuing a medical career in the university when the Lord called me to serve Him full-time. Convicted with this desire He gave to me, I left the course resolving to give my life wholeheartedly to Him, never to turn back again. It was His grace alone that enabled me to trust Him for the consequences of this move. It was with a sense of love for Him and gratitude for all that He had done in my life that I heeded the call. I praise God that He has called me to serve Him full-time despite my own unworthiness and inadequacies.
From the time I was very young, the Lord had been good to me. I did not know Him well then, but imagined Him to be a loving Father to me, according to what I was taught in a Christian home and in Sunday School. As I grew older, I came to a better understanding of God through Christian friends and through a Bible correspondence course. Realising my need for salvation, I committed my soul to Jesus Christ when I was fourteen, and was glad to begin to walk with Him.
The Lord helped me in many things and He blessed me with a love for knowledge. This enabled me to succeed in my studies. but my heart was taken up with the desire to achieve great things for myself. When my 'A' level exam results were known, I wanted to become a doctor, and applied for a place in the University. I was thrilled to be accepted into the course, and thanked God for allowing me to get in. "Surely," I thought, "this is what God wants me to do." My parents were pleased that their son was successful in this respect and encouraged me a great deal. I resolved not to disappoint them.
Through my time of study in Medicine, I was brought close to God and my priorities gradually changed. I realised that the Lord wanted full commitment from me. I gained a new perspective on my life, when I met with a near fatal road accident. Seeing how He had spared me, I was thankful and felt that I owed Him my life. As I studied the Scriptures more, I was gripped by the doctrines of grace. The words of a hymn reflect my thoughts at that time: "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all." Being thus motivated, I consecrated myself to God at a Christian camp.
As I sought to do God's will, I was impressed with the thought that He wanted me to give up my career, in order to serve Him full-time. this thought bothered me continually for over a year, while I was actively pursuing my studies in medicine. It seemed too drastic a step to take, after all the time and effort that I had put in. I was also afraid of how friends and family would react to such a move. Nevertheless, I took some time to consider this objectively and to pray for the courage to do God's will.
I earnestly found out all that I could about the full-time ministry, reading especially the lives of those who had faithfully served the Lord. My heart was moved as I reflected on the Lord's tremendous love for me and on His goodness to me throughout my life. I wanted to respond to Him in faith, to avail myself to Him for training and use in whatever field He would send me to. Finally, faith turned into action as I broke the news of going full-time to my friends and to my family. I was greatly encouraged by their response -- this was a confirmation to me that the Lord had indeed prepared the way before me. I praised and gave thanks to God for having helped me!
By God's grace I have now graduated from Far Eastern Bible College, and have served Him for seven years. I have no regrets whatsoever about leaving what might have been a successful medical career. I am glad rather, that I have found out what God wants to do with my life.
Charles Seet
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