8月26日
标 题：爱惜光阴
经 节：你们要谨慎行事，不要像愚昧人，当像智慧人。要爱惜光阴，因为现今的世代邪恶。（以弗所书五章15～16节）
我们在当今的时代里，往往被一堆引诱我们投资心力、时间的机会所包围。紧急事件的呼声终日追逐着我们。许多理想及事业保证只要花时间就可收成。在这嘈杂的声音中，如何辨认出神的声音呢？
愚昧人没有智慧地安排自己的时间。每回有新的机会到来，愚昧人不先弄清楚是否为最佳抉择，就见风转舵去追逐。谁的声音大，谁就获得他的注意。那愚昧人终究会在某个片刻中，沮丧气馁地发现自己任意浪费、挥霍时间。
现今你正活在一个邪恶的时代。婚姻正处在极大的压力下，家庭结构崩溃。每年都有许许多多的人在生命退出之前，从未听过耶稣基督的福音。有智慧地投资生命，对于你与你周遭的人是非常重要的。愚蠢地把时间投资在罪恶或享乐的追求上，会让你与周遭的人付上极大的代价。
邪恶的追求通常不会劫掠你的时间。更确切地说，我们所遭遇的试探，往往是以次好的代替最好的。敌人知道公然引诱你做邪恶的事，是过于招摇的行为，所以，它分散你的注意力，好叫你没有时间能够实践神的旨意。它会让你的时间表充满好的事情，叫你没有时间实践神最美好的计划。你可能会不注意地把宗教活动代替神的旨意，追求自己为神国所定的目标，来代替等候神所分派的任务。时间是一件价值不菲的宝贝，你一定要有智慧地投资你的时间。
Redeeming the Time
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming
the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
These days we are bombarded with opportunities that entice us to invest
our time and energy. Each day the voices of urgency cry out for every available
moment. So many causes promise that time spent on them will reap great rewards;
how can we recognize God’s voice among so many competing voices?
A fool makes unwise choices with his time. With every new opportunity
that comes along, the fool chases off in a different direction, not questioning
whether that is the best choice. The loudest voice gains his attention. At some
point the fool discovers to his dismay that he has squandered the investment of
his time.
The days in which you live are evil. Marriages are under tremendous
pressure, families are disintegrating. Multitudes are dying each year without
hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Investing your life wisely is critical to
you and to those around you. Foolishly spending your time in sinful or wasteful
pursuits can cost you and others dearly.
Often, it is not evil pursuits that rob your time. Rather, the
temptation is to sacrifice what is best for what is good. The enemy knows that
blatantly tempting you with evil will be obvious, so he will lure you with
distractions, leaving you no time to carry out God’s will. He will tempt you to
so fill your schedule with good things that you have no time for God’s best.
You may inadvertently substitute religious activity for God’s will, pursuing
your own goals for God’s kingdom instead of waiting for His assignment. Time is
a precious commodity. Be sure to invest it wisely.
