Reflections on Internship at Bethany
As I reflect my internship, Romans 12:1-2 comes to my mind. These two verses can be applied to many lessons learnt at the morning class and it also is a text that I want to live by.
“I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
– Romans 12:1-2
By the mercies
If it were not for the mercies of God, I would have gone down a very different path in life. If it were not for the mercies of God, I would not have wanted to join the internship program. Realising that God had been there for me even when I did not appreciate Him, I wanted to respond to what He has done for me. I thought that setting aside time to learn more and to serve Him was the least I could do. This was my reason why I wanted to join the internship program.
A living sacrifice
During my internship, I learnt that I must have this perspective of being a living sacrifice. Interning in church gave me the opportunity to practice this especially during the afternoons when we have to do various tasks around church. I remember Pastor Charlie teaching from Luke 17:10, he was telling us that we are supposed to serve in church with this perspective taught by the Lord Jesus.
“So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
– Luke 17:10
This lesson helped me to change my perspective of how I ought to behave. Prior to this lesson, I had the perspective that the internship would make me become a somebody. But after Pastor taught us this lesson, I knew that I was wrong and I now continually try to serve with humility because I am an unprofitable servant.
Reasonable service
During morning classes, we learn many lessons but there is always one link that connects the 140 plus morning classes together. The link is that we must follow Christ and be like Him. I remember on the first day at my first morning class, Pastor Mark challenged us to follow Christ and to lay aside the things that would affect our walk with God. Being Christ-like is not something that I can achieve in a matter of months but it would take many years. It would be a long and challenging process to be like Christ and to present my body as holy and acceptable to God. But this is my reasonable service and it is what I want to do.
Looking forward
As I enlist in the army, I want to hold on to what I have learnt during my short term as an intern in church. I have been in the best environment to learn and to serve for the past seven months. Even as I enter the army, I do not want to go back to my old ways. Instead, I would want to do as what it says in Romans 12:2 which is to be transformed by the renewing of my mind and not to conform to the things of the world. Though I am young, my hope is that the Lord would lead me and guide me through so that I would one day be able to do good for Him. Like many who have said before, the internship truly changes life and I am only at the beginning of the change that has already begun.