Manna issue 78 - Why Can’t the Clock Stop Ticking? 為什麼時鐘不會停止活動？
ACquila Anon—Malaysia 馬來西亞 ACquila Anon
The second hand of the clock in
the study moves on steadily and
inexorably, tick, tick, tick … as the
seconds roll by in the wee hours ….
凌晨正在學習的時候，時鐘的秒針穩定無情的繼續走著，
滴答，滴答，滴答...隨著時間逐漸的流逝...
As non-spiritual thoughts crowd
and cloud my mind, I make a feeble
attempt to snap myself out of this
reverie, trying to salvage what little
time is left in the day. How did the
time that I had so carefully set aside
to do God’s things once again slip
away? Suddenly, the words of the
Preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:1–15 flood
my mind. This passage is particularly
poignant for those of us who have to
battle the crushing pressures of the
hectic twenty-first century. Time is a
precious commodity that seems to be
very easily “eaten up,” especially the3
time we have set aside for productive
and spiritual things.
正當一些不屬靈的念頭充塞我的腦中，遮敝了我的想法，
我作了一個虛弱的嘗試，想讓自已脫離捐思亂想，試著想要挽留今日最後剩餘的一點點時間。
我小心保留要用來作神事工的時間，到底是怎麼樣，再一次又再度溜走了呢？
突然間，傳道書三章1-15節，傳道者的話語像大水一樣充滿了我的內心。
這個經節對我們這些身處在21世紀中，要去和強大壓力搏鬥。
時間是一個很珍貴的商品，卻是很容易被耗盡，由其是我們特別分別出來，要用來好好利用，或是用來造就靈性的時間。
Everything today seems to move
at what Bill Gates called “the speed
of thought.” So much has to be
crammed into twenty-four hours—
our careers, business development,
social appointments, the children’s
punishing schedules, and some “me”
or down time. Technology has helped
speed up some tasks for us, but it has
also stirred our seemingly insatiable
appetites for social networking
and the corresponding tasks to be
“updated” or to garner “likes,” as
well as for mindless hours of Internet
trawling. In the construct of our little
worlds, ever increasing numbers of
activities jostle for priority. Sadly, one
constant always seems to lose out in
the battle for our time—a time for
God.
今日每一件事情看起來到走的很快，就像是比爾蓋茲所說的，轉念之間的快速。
在僅有的24小時內，卻要塞入很多很多的事情 -
我們的工作，事業的發展，社會上的各種約定，小孩子精疲力盡的日常生活行程，還有一些自我的時間和個人休息的時間。
新科技為我們來加速完成工作的時間，但是也引起了我們對社交需求看似毫無滿足的胃口，
而相應而來的工作是，時時都接受到社群的更新，或是收集大家的評價"讚"，同時也花費了很多無腦的時間在網路上閒逛。
在我們所建構的微小世界裡，永遠有不斷增加的活動次數，在互相競爭優先順序。
很可惜的是，人們常常總是似乎會輸掉這場安排我們自我時間的安排，而且是用來敬拜神的寶貴時間。
REGAIN THE SIMPLE FAITH LOST IN A COMPLEX WORLD 在這個複雜的世界中，重新得著簡單的信仰
Have we ever wondered why, in our
journey of faith today, we seem to
lack the purpose and conviction of
our forefathers? Or why we are so
easily distracted from focusing on
what is important for our spiritual
life? Ironically, amidst the complexity
of our daily secular routines, we have
lost the simplicity of faith and implicit
entrustment in God, essential to
building up our spirituality.
我們是否曾經想過到底為什麼，在我們今日信仰的旅程中，我們似乎缺乏目標，也沒有像我們的祖先一樣，對神有堅定的信仰？
或者是，我們為什麼這麼容易就會分心，從對我們靈性非常重要的事情中失去注意力呢？
很諷刺的是，在我們每天世俗複雜的日常生活中，我們已經失去了信仰的單純，及對神絕對的信靠，
而這些就是建立我們靈性的基本要素。
For example, as our friends
send their children for a myriad of
enrichment classes, we worry that
we would be depriving our children
of a good future if we do not do the
same. So Sabbath keeping, church
camps or even Religious Education
classes get lower priority than tuition,
enrichment activities and piano/
ballet/computer classes. How many
of us have sacrificed and staked the
importance of religious upbringing in
place of some secular activity, which
we justify will advance the paths
of our children? Unknowingly, we
have staked our children’s spiritual
well-being and bartered away time
that was to be set aside for God in
a nonchalant fashion. Will the Lord
indeed bless such endeavors?
例如，當我們的朋友把他們的小孩，送去上各種五花八門的才藝課程時，
若我們沒有跟著這麼作，就會擔心自已是不是剝奪了小孩整的美好前途。
所以遵守安息日，參加教會的訓練成長營，或甚至是宗教教育的優先等級是比那些家教班的等級更低，
才藝活動，學鋼琴，學芭蕾舞，學電腦是更重要的。
我們之中到底有多少人，已經作了這樣子的犧牲，已經賭上了宗教教育養成的重要性，
去換去一些去學習世上才藝的活動，而這些活動我們自認為會對自已的小孩未來的成長很有幫助呢？
而在不知不覺之中，我們已經犧牲了自已小孩健康靈性的養成，
把那些要用來為神分別為聖的時間，拿來換取了一些對神的事變得冷淡的屬世流行的活動。
難道神會真的祝福作這些努力的人嗎？
Cunning old Satan jumps straight
on to these insecurities of ours,
causing us to feel that we have to
plan and spend our time to achieve
all those markers of success that our
peers have. Even more ironically,
we always charge our smartphones
and tablets to keep them topped
up and running, yet we cannot
seem to find the equivalent time to
recharge our spiritual life. We just
comfort ourselves with the aphorism
that “God helps those who help
themselves.”
古老又狡猾的撒旦，直接就跳進這些我們沒有安全感的地方，
讓我感到一定要去作計劃，用時間來達成我們的同伴或朋友，他們也能達成的那些成功的輝煌成就。
甚至更諷刺的是，我們都會對手機和平板電腦充電，讓他們可以電力飽滿，運作順暢，
然而我們似乎不能找出相同的時間，來為自已的靈命充電。
我們只是用一些格言來自我安慰，就像是"天助自助者"。
In fact, the presence of these so
called “smart devices” is yet another
diabolical plan to suck up and waste
this precious commodity of God’s
time for time-consuming activities
such as social networking and Internet
trawling. As we attend services, while
using our Bible and hymn apps on
our devices (convenience we say),
have we “inadvertently” tapped on
Facebook or WhatsApp? How many
of us have “wandered” into the
realm of cyberspace in the midst of
observing one hour of service time?
事實上，這些所謂的"智慧裝置"，只不過是另一個魔鬼的計劃，
來耗盡及浪費神的時間，而神的時間是日常生活中神所賜最珍貴的寶貝，
但卻被用在一些很耗時間的活動，例如社群網路和網路資訊探索。
當我們參加聚會的時候，當我們在自已的智慧裝置上使用聖經和讚美詩的軟體時(通常我們會說很方便)，
我們是不是有過"無意之間"就點到了 臉書 Facebook 或是通訊軟體 WhatsApp 嗎？
我們之中到底有多少人，在這要參加一小時的聚會時間時，卻徘徊在網路的國度呢？
TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON 萬事萬物都有皆有時
But the Preacher, with a lifetime of
experience and wisdom from God,
firmly declares:
但是傳道者，有來自於神一生的經驗和智慧，很堅定的宣佈：
To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under
heaven. A time to be born, … a time
to plant, … a time to break down,
and a time to build up, … a time to
keep silence, and a time to speak.
(Eccl 3:1–3, 7)
1凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。
2生有時，死有時；栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；
3殺戮有時，醫治有時；拆毀有時，建造有時；
7撕裂有時，縫補有時；靜默有時，言語有時；
(傳 3：1-3，7)
A time for every purpose under
heaven is a timely reminder that
we must always find time for God;
time to seek things everlasting,
work on our spirituality, and mend
the breaches in our wall of faith.
Amidst the pressures of twenty-first
century living, which often leave us
floundering like a fish out of water,
we need to regain and maintain the
simple belief that we must seek first
the kingdom of God. Jesus’ promise
that “all these things will be added to
you” will naturally follow. Remember
that in His love, God gives us all the
things we need, not all the things we
want (cf. Rom 8:28; Jas 1:17).
天下萬務都有定時就是很適時的提醒，我們總一定要為神找出時間；
要把時間用來尋求永恆的事情，造就自已的靈性，修補我們自已信心之牆上的裂口。
身處在21世紀的生活壓力之中，常常讓我們感到很掙扎，就像魚離開水一樣，
我們需要重新得到，並且維持簡單的信念，那就是我們一定要先求神國神義。
耶穌的應許，"這一切所有美善和賞賜都要加添給你們"，自然而然就會隨之而來。
記著，在祂的愛中，神會賜給我們一切所需用的東西，而不是我們所想要的東西。(羅 8：28；雅 1：17)
TREASURE TIME 寶貴的時間
While time is beyond the control of
any man, the use of time isn’t. We
have lengthened our bucket list of
materialistic things to acquire and
worldly dreams to fulfill for a better
tomorrow, which is why we find
our time for spiritual pursuit evershrinking.
Often exhausted by this
incessant secular marathon, we seek
to recharge through even more timewasting
and spirit-draining worldly
leisure.
雖然時間是超乎任何人所能控制的，但人卻能控制如何使用時間。
為了有更好的明天，我們延長了自已的口袋名單，要去追求的物質，以及完成自已世上的夢想，
這也就是為什麼，我們會發現自已用來追求屬靈的時間，永遠都在縮水。
常常因為這個永不停憩屬世的馬拉松而搞到精疲力竭，
我們因而想要尋求充電，但卻透過甚至更浪費時間，會讓靈性更加枯乾的屬世休閒活動。
At this point, we must reflect on
Ecclesiastes 3:9—
遇到這樣的情況，我們一定要回想傳道書三章9節 -
“What profit has the worker from
that in which he labors?”
9這樣看來，做事的人在他的勞碌上有甚麼益處呢？
Endeavoring to be the masters of
our own destiny, we strategize and
toil. But what do we have to show for
the expended time and effort? Even
if we lived to a hundred, dying in the
luxury of our palatial homes, with
the best healthcare that money can
buy and surrounded by a multitude
of family, what can we make of our
life on earth? Let us refer to the wise
men from the Old Testament:
努力想要成為自已命運的主人，我們費盡了心思和精力。
但是為了這些額外付出的時間和努力，最後我們到底有什麼可以炫耀的呢？
甚至即使我們活到了一百歲，在自已像皇宮一般的家中奢華的死去，
有金錢可以購買的最好醫療服務，被很多的家族成員團團圍繞，
我們在世的生活中又得到了什麼呢？
讓我們從舊約中，以智慧者為學習的對象：
‧ Jacob, patriarch of Israel, who
had spent much of his life scheming
and strategizing, declared to Pharaoh,
“The years of my pilgrimage are a
hundred and thirty. My years have
been few and difficult, and they do
not equal the years of the pilgrimage
of my fathers” (Gen 47:9).
．雅各是以色列的長老，他用了生命的大部份時間在費盡心機，想方設法，卻向長法陳述，
我寄居在世的年日是一百三十歲，我平生的年日又少又苦，不及我列祖早在世寄居的年日。(創 47：9)
‧ Moses—ex-Prince of Egypt—
confirms this, saying, “Our days may
come to seventy years, or eighty, if
our strength endures; yet the best of
them are but trouble and sorrow, for
they quickly pass, and we fly away”
(Ps 90:10).
．摩西 - 以前是埃及王子 - 確認這件事並說，
10我們一生的年日是七十歲，若是強壯可到八十歲；但其中所矜誇的不過是勞苦愁煩，轉眼成空，我們便如飛而去。(詩 90：10)
‧ Solomon—famed for wisdom
and wealth—breaks the bad news:
“No one remembers the former
generations, and even those yet to
come will not be remembered by
those who follow them” (Eccl 1:11).
．所羅門 - 因富有智慧及財富而著名 - 透露了壞消息：
11已過的世代，無人記念；將來的世代，後來的人也不記念。(傳 1：11)
The time we have wasted cannot
be regained. We can only move
forward and resolve to number our
days to gain a heart of wisdom (Ps
90:12). Start to live our life with
eternity in mind, not just the things
of the materialistic world. Rekindle
our first love for Him by once again
putting the Lord as a priority in our
life, getting rid of the distractions and
time-consuming activities that sap
away our spiritual well-being.
我們所浪費的時間，無法再重新取回來。
我們只能向前走，決心數算我們的日子，好來得著智慧之心(詩 90：12)。
開始時時在心中懷抱著永生，以這種心態來生活下去，而不是以世上追求物質生活享受的心態而活。
藉著再一次把神在我們的生活中擺在第一位，重新點燃對祂一開始的愛心，
拋棄那些會讓人分心的事，或是那些會帶走我們靈性健全，讓我們浪費時間的活動。
For a start, put away our smart
devices during service time; stop
deceiving ourselves that these
gadgets are but a tool to worship
God. If anything, they put us on the
path of temptation to draw us away
from God. Stop giving ourselves
excuses or making excuses for (or on
behalf of) our children. Stand on the
side of righteousness. What is wrong
can never be made right by human
design or justification.
若是要開始，在聚會的時候，把自已的智慧裝置拿開，停止自欺說這些小裝置只不過是用來敬拜神的工具。
不要再給自已藉品，或是為了小孩好，幫小孩找藉口。
站在公義的一方。
本來就是錯誤的事情，永遠不會因為人類的設計，或是宣稱是無害的，而因此變成好的東西。
To illustrate, no manner of “work
requirements” for us or betterment
classes for our children, taking away
what little time we have left to
worship God and from keeping the
Holy Sabbath, will make things right
in the eyes of our Lord. Choose God,
and He will lead us the way. Walk
in reverence and obedience in His
pathway, and He will provide.
舉例說明，無論是什麼對我們的"工作要求"，或是對我們增強孩子才藝的課程，
都不能讓這些活動拿走我們用來敬拜神所剩下的稀少時間，或是讓我們不能遵守聖安息日的活動，
這在主的眼中就是對的選擇。
選了神，祂就會帶領我們的方向。
用敬畏和順服的心走在祂的道路上，那麼祂就會預備。
PRIORITIZE AND REDEEM TIME 重新排列使用時間的優先順序，並且取回一些時間
Be very careful, then, how you
live—not as unwise but as
wise, making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are
evil. (Eph 5:15–16)
15你們要謹慎行事，不要像愚昧人，當像智慧人。
16要愛惜光陰，因為現今的世代邪惡。
(弗 5：15-16)
Apostle Paul reminds us to seize
every opportunity to be wise stewards
of time and keep a constant vigil on
how we allocate our time. Make
good use of opportune moments to
advance our faith and spirituality.
Look to Jesus as our role model for
time management.
使徒保羅提醒我們，要抓住每一個機會，成為一個聰明使用時間的僕人，
對如何分配自已的時間，時常保持謹慎的態度。
好好利用適當的時刻來增進自已的信仰和屬靈的能力。
仰望耶穌，用祂當作我們時間管理的模範。
Most importantly, in the midst of
a busy life, find time to seek God in
quiet solitude, meditation, and prayer
to recharge, as Jesus Christ did. Let
the clock stand still, in our moments
of seeking, reflection and prayer, as
we gain the strength and the means
to overcome this testy trial of time
that has descended on us in this age.
最重要的是，在忙碌的生活當中，能找出時間來尋求神，
安安靜靜的獨處，好好的思想神的話，不斷禱告來讓聖靈充滿，就像耶穌所作的一樣。
讓時鐘保持不動，在我們尋求神的時刻，不斷反省和禱告，
直到我們得到了力量和方法，來勝過在今世這個臨在我們身上，要如何使用時間的試煉。
CONCLUSION 結論
Ecclesiastes 3:15b gives a solemn
reminder that “God requires an
account of what is past.” This is
certainly a very sobering thought
indeed. Do not think that we can
escape accountability for our actions
and deeds and that there is no need
to answer or to pay for our past
wrongdoings. Far from that, we will
have to give account of ourselves
and our actions.
傳道書三章15節後半段，給了我們一個奠重的提醒，
"神使已過的事重新再來（或譯：並且神再尋回已過的事）。"
這確定是一個真的令人驚醒的念頭。
不要認為自已可以逃脫為自已的行動和行為負責任，
認為沒有必要為過去的錯行，負責或是付出代價。
事實是完全的相反，我們將要為自已和自已的行為負責。
Standing before the Lord God, will
we be able to say to our master, “You
gave me five talents [of time]. Here
is a detailed account of what these
talents have yielded for You, Lord.”
Or perhaps we hang our heads in
shame knowing how we have wasted
our spirituality away.
站在神的面前，我們可以向主人說，"你給了我五千兩銀子(時間)。
主啊，這就是那些銀子為你所產出的詳細報告。"
或許我們會臉上帶著羞愧，因為知道自已是如何把靈性成長的機會浪費殆盡。
Therefore, pray and ask God to
help us, in making the best use of the
time that we have every day.
所以，祈求神幫助我們，讓我們可以好好的利用我們每一天所有的時間。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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