Treasure the Moments 珍爱时刻
Dexu Xia
Treasure the Moments
[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Su Dongpo (also known as Su Shi) was one of China’s greatest poets and essayists. While in exile and gazing upon a full moon, he wrote a poem to describe how much he missed his brother. “We rejoice and grieve, gather and leave, while the moon waxes and wanes. Since times of old, nothing remains perfect,” he writes. “May our loved ones live long, beholding this beautiful scene together though thousands of miles apart.”
His poem carries themes found in the book of Ecclesiastes. The author, known as the Teacher (1:1), observed that there’s “a time to weep and a time to laugh . . . a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing” (3:4–5). By pairing two contrasting activities, the Teacher, like Su Dongpo, seems to suggest that all good things must inevitably come to an end.
As Su Dongpo saw the waxing and waning of the moon as another sign that nothing remains perfect, the Teacher also saw in creation God’s providential ordering of the world He’d made. God oversees the course of events, and “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (v. 11).
Life may be unpredictable and sometimes filled with painful separations, but we can take heart that everything takes place under God’s gaze. We can enjoy life and treasure the moments—the good and the bad—for our loving God is with us.
What are some things you’re afraid to try because of life’s unpredictability? How can you lean on Jesus as you step forward in courage to forge new friendships and deepen relationships?
Thank You, loving Father, for watching over all seasons of my life. Help me to trust in You and enjoy the life You’ve given me.
珍爱时刻
上帝造万物，各按其时成为美好。—传道书3章11节
苏东坡（或称苏轼）是中国北宋一个伟大的诗人和文学家。他在被贬谪时仰观夜空明月，心中百感交集，于是写下了一首思念弟弟的诗作：“人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全，但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。”意思是人的一生难免有悲欢离合，就像明月也有阴晴圆缺的改变，这种事自古以来就难以周全。只希望自己思念的人平安长寿，虽然相隔千里，也能一起享受明媚的月色。
这首诗的主题正好呼应了传道书的主旨。传道书的作者“传道者”（1章1节）观察到“哭有时，笑有时；……怀抱有时，不怀抱有时”（3章4-5节）。就像苏东坡一样，传道者将两件相反的事物相互对照，似乎是要告诉我们，所有美好的事物总有结束的时候。
苏东坡从月亮的阴晴圆缺而联想到“此事古难全”，传道者从受造物看到上帝对所创造世界立定的次序。上帝掌管世上万事，祂“造万物，各按其时成为美好”（11节）。
或许世事难料，有时必须承受令人伤痛的离别。但只要想到万事都在上帝的垂顾之下，我们便可以充满信心。你我可以享受生命并珍惜光阴，包括所有美好和悲伤的时刻，因为慈爱的上帝与我们同在。
慈爱的天父，感谢祢看顾我人生中的每一个阶段。求祢帮助我信靠祢，并享受祢所赏赐的生命。
你会因世事难料而害怕去尝试哪些事物呢？
你如何靠着耶稣，勇敢地与人建立友谊和更深的关系？