The student committee of the EMBS Society at the University of New South Wales needs to be reorganised as some university students have graduated. For this reason, a special meeting (EGM) was held last Friday for the student handover. Students who have graduated, or are about to graduate, have to resign from their roles in the committee as they embark on their future. New students will be appointed and they will participate and run the committee and will also receive training and face fresh challenges in the next two or three years.
One of the characteristics of campus ministry is that students do not stay for too long as there are always movements in student membership. Seeing my students leave after graduation evokes in me a range of emotions. If the student is talented, I will feel sad that the student can no longer contribute to the committee. If the student is still searching for God in the road to faith, I will begin to worry whether the student will continue to seek God after leaving the community of Christian friends? Who can follow up on these students? On the other hand, I will also think about how to retrain new students. How can we help them grow up quickly on the road of faith?
It seems difficult for the student ministry on campus to maintain its stability as students are constantly joining and leaving. Thanks be to God, in the past years God has continued to bless the student ministry to help it develop sustainably. One of the lessons I learned is to acknowledge the limitations of human effort and to believe in and rely on God’s provision and support. The more I participate in the work of the student ministry, the more I feel that nothing is within my control. However, God is faithful. When we pray and rely on Him, God will find a way to provide us according to his timing and plan.
A lot of anxiety in modern life comes from humans wanting to retain control in a world ridden with uncertainties. For example, what if the person I love doesn't believe in the Lord? What should I do if I have not yet found a job? What if my child is disobedient? What should I do if I do not have enough money in the bank? Such problems continually arise. For non-Christians, not being able to stay in control can be very frustrating. Christians however are grateful even though we are not able to control our lives, because we accept this inability to control as a fact, and as an opportunity for God to bless us so that we can learn to surrender and trust Him who controls all things in this universe.
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Psalm 37:3
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因著一些學生的畢業，新南威爾斯大學EMBS社團的學生委員會需要換屆，我們在周五召開了特別會議（EGM）進行交接。已經畢業或是快要畢業的同學卸下他們在社團的擔子，即將奔赴新的前程。另一些學生接受任命，在接下來的兩三年將參與社團的運作，接受訓練和磨練。
校園事工的一個特點，就是學生的流動性很強，總是在不停地變化中。每次看到同學畢業離開，我心中總會有各種思緒。如果他是一位得力的學生同工，心中就會感慨，一個好的同工在事工中是多麼有幫助呢，可惜現在他要走了。如果是尚在信仰之路上尋求的慕道友，心中就會開始擔心，離開了社團和基督徒朋友們，他還會繼續的尋求神嗎？誰可以跟進他呢？另一方面，我也會思考，如何重新培養新的學生呢？怎麼樣可以讓他們在信仰之路上快快成長？
校園裡的學生事工似乎很難成為穩定的事工。不斷有人加入，也不斷有人離開。感謝神，在過往的年日裡，他一直保守看顧，讓這項事工可以持續發展。我從中學習的功課之一，就是不斷承認自己能力有限，凡事依靠和相信神。越參與在事工裡，就越感受到許多事情不在我可以控制的範圍以內，然而，神是信實的，當我們禱告依靠他，他就按照他的時間和計劃開路和供應。
現代人的許多焦慮，源自於無法掌控。生活中有太多的不確定因素，譬如，我所愛的人還沒有信主怎麼辦？我的工作還沒找到怎麼辦？孩子不聽話怎麼辦？我的銀行存款不夠多怎麼辦？ 。 。 。這樣的問題可以源源不絕地列舉下去，對於不信主的人來說，不能掌控一切是一件叫人遺憾和沮喪的事。然而，對基督徒來說，不能掌控是應當感恩的事，因為這是事實，也是蒙福的機會，使我們學會信靠那掌管一切的宇宙之主。
「你們當倚靠耶和華行善，住在地上，以祂的信實為糧。」--詩篇37:3
