Reflecting on God’s Faithfulness and Looking to the Future
Greetings, Students
You have been called by God to the holy work of studying His Word. This is a dual calling that calls for both a godly heart and a sharp mind. One won’t work without the other. A servant of the Lord must be a committed disciple as well as a faithful thinker.
You must be diligent in your intellectual calling. You’re here to get ready for a “learned profession.” Teaching the truth clearly is just as important in the ministry as arousing feelings. This implies that studying is your first responsibility and not an option. Know that failing to approach each lecture, book, and assignment “heartily, as to the Lord” will undermine your ministry and your message.
You have an even higher spiritual calling. Without godliness, learning is meaningless. Put your heart into your work, study as though you were in God’s presence, and allow your education to be an act of worship. Protect your “Morning Quiet Time”—your alone time with Him—and never skip worship sessions with His people. Without a strong spiritual life, a seminary soon turns into just another educational institution.
Recall that holiness and knowledge are not mutually exclusive. They have to develop together. Watch out for the risk of losing the awe of sacred objects due to familiarity. Allow your studies to broaden your horizons and uplift your spirit in awe of God.
You have a huge calling ahead of you. You are here to prepare your life, not just to prepare sermons. You are “angels getting ready to sound the trumpets,” as Cotton Mather once put it. Think carefully, pray fervently, and walk in humility before your God.
Rev. Amit Karthak
Principal, Reformed and Presbyterian Seminary
Kathmandu, Nepal