11th Dec 2012, by Adeline Lum CM-
A sharp-witted 21-year old guy, Justin Ooi encountered God powerfully when he was 17 years old at a Christian Fellowship camp, as the first believer in the family.
Before he became a believer, he described himself as a “gangster” who is a kaki ponteng (meaning play truancy regularly in Malay) and kaki lepak (meaning loitering regularly without doing anything productive) in school. One day, he even got into trouble with the police due to a crime, but he was fortunately released.
Hence, after he met God and before he started his college year, he wanted to turn over a new leaf.
“I felt like I wasted my life in the past, and I wanted a new life,” said Justin.
Now, he is the president of the Christian Fellowship (CF) in TARC (Tunku Abdul Rahman College)!
“Being part of a church in campus allows us to reach students from the inside out, instead of outside in. We can impact them,” said Justin. “And this is also a place where students from different denominations come together as one.”
His boldness in speaking of Christ reminds me of Paul who said:
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile –Romans 1:16
“Do not be too afraid of what people think. We would worship and pray in the middle of the field in the morning and run around campus for the RUNTAR organized by CF,” said Justin. “It is easy to think that I look like a fool. But following God is about going out of the four walls of my comfort zone.”
When asked what his vision is for himself in the Lord, he said, “I will just take one step at a time following Him.”
How true!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:33-34
Barbara Ryberg (1914-2008) wrote a beautiful poem, entitled step by step:
He does not lead me year by year
Nor even day by day,
But step by step my path unfolds;
My Lord directs my way.
Tomorrow’s plans I do not know,
I only know this minute;
But He will say, “This is the way,
By faith now walk ye in it.”
And I am glad that it is so,
Today’s enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace
Shall far exceed its care.
What need to worry then, or fret?
The God who gave His Son
Holds all my moments in His hand
And gives them, one by one.
God asked us to follow Him, step by step! And that’s all He wants us to do.
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