Cover Story
01 Jan 2014

God calls us to build our nation

Source/Author: By Bishop Dr. Ong Hwai Teik

Opening of the 38th SCAC

The 38th session of Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) was kicked off on 26 November 2013 at Wei Kuok Hall in Sibu.

In his message at the opening ceremony, Bishop Ong Hwai Teik invited the conference par
ticipants to reflect on the theme “For such a time as this, God calls us to build our nation”, citing the Jews’ struggle while they were sent into exile in Babylon to help expound on our current situation in Malaysia.

He said that the Jews’ exile to Babylon was a judgment that they deserved. An unavoidable exile. The Jews were placed that where they did not want to be so that God could test their faith.

The Bishop reiterated that it was also a time in Malaysia that our faith was being tested. We were in our “Exile” moment, at a point where we did not want to be. For such time as this, the Bishop stressed that what was important was not where God wanted us to go, but WHO was with us wherever we are.

Secondly, we needed to learn that our God was the Sovereign King of the Universe. He was the CENTRE of the Jews’ Exile experience. He called them to build the nation where they were sent into exile. They were not only to survive there, but also to thrive. In Babylon, they were to build houses and live in them; to plant gardens and eat their produce; to take wives and have sons and daughters; to multiply there. (Jer 29: 5-7a) At the same time, they were to bless the nation as well by seeking the welfare of the city and praying to the Lord on its behalf… (Jer 29:7b)

For such time as this, the Bishop encouraged the Methodists in Sarawak to hold fast to 3 Simple Rules of John Wesley’s way of living by Scriptural holiness, transforming the nation:

1) Do no harm; say NO to bribery, plant no seeds of hatred between ethnic groups, or commit things as small as violating traf
fic rules.

2) Do good; our ultimate goal is to bring people to the kingdom of God.

3) Stay in love with God by attending to all His ordinances and requirements.