Before we pray, let's first take a moment to listen to God's word and then we'll pray together.
Hosea 10:12 says, "Sow for yourselves righteousness. Reap in mercy. Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he comes and reigns righteousness on you." Let's reflect on the word time here.
Fallow ground refers to land that is left unplanted for a period of time to allow it to recover and regenerate nutrients. This agricultural practice helps improve soil health and can enhance future crop yields.
Time is one of the most mysterious and precious gifts God has given us. We can't hold it. We can't control it. We can't rewind it or slow it down. It keeps moving whether we pay attention or not. And more often than we'd like to admit, it slips through our fingers while we're busy chasing things that don't last. Wasted life, wasted time. We often say, "I just need more time." Especially when it comes to spiritual things. more time to pray, more time to be with God, more time to become the person we're meant to be. And yet, the days rush by, responsibilities pile up, distractions multiply, and slowly we drift. We drift away from intimacy, we drift away from that first love. And one day, we look back and wonder, where did the time go?
Older people speak with a kind of wisdom the young don't yet have. They've seen how fleeting life is. They know what it feels like to blink and realize years have passed. They speak of regrets, not about the things they did, but the time they didn't spend with loved ones, the prayers they never prayed, the peace they postponed for later, and the God they kept meaning to seek someday. The young, on the other hand, often assume they have all the time in the world. There's no rush, right? There is always tomorrow. They'Il get serious about their faith eventually. They'll pursue God later after the job, after the relationship, after the fun. But scripture reminds us clearly, no one is promised tomorrow. Time is fragile. Time is fleeting. And time is a gift we only realize the value of once it's gone. That's why the words in Hosea are so urgent. It is time to seek the Lord. Not tomorrow, not next week. Not when everything settles down. Now, the Bible says in Isaiah 55:6, "Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near." Those words are sobering. They remind us that the window of invitation is not open forever. Not because God is cruel, but because hearts grow hard. Opportunities pass. Time runs out. And what was once a gentle tug from the Holy Spirit becomes an echo we can barely hear anymore. Proverbs 1: verses 28-29 says, "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." This is not meant to scare us. It is meant to awaken us because the time to respond is now. The time to choose Lord Jesus Christ is now. The time to seek his face is not someday. It is today. And if you need more clarity, listen to the words of James 4:14. You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Think about that. A vapor here for a moment, gone the next. That's how quickly our days pass. Which is why Ephesians 5:15-16 urges us. Be very careful then how you live. Not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Time is short, the world is loud, and our souls are easily lulled to sleep. But Romans 13:1 says, "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." Can you hear God's heartbeat in these verses? He is not just commanding us. He is calling us. Like a father who misses his children. Like a shepherd longing for the return of his sheep. He is saying, "Wake up, my beloved. Don't drift any longer. Don't waste what I've given you. Come back to me. Return to your first love. Break up the fallow ground." What is fallow ground? It is soil that has been left untouched for too long. It is land that was once fertile, but has grown hard because no one tended to it. That is what our hearts can become when we delay seeking God. Hard, dull, dry, weeds of sin and apathy take root. But God's invitation is clear. Break it up. Return to the garden. Pull out the weeds. Let the Hosea 10:12 says, "Sow for yourselves righteousness. Reap in mercy. What you plant today will shape your tomorrow. And the seeds you sew in faith will one day bloom into mercy, into peace, into eternal joy.
So let me ask you, are you using the time you've been given to seek the one who gave it to you? Are you delaying the relationship that matters most for a world that won't last?
Beloved, God is near. His arms are open. His spirit is calling. Don't wait for a crisis to wake you up. Don't wait for regret to remind you what mattered. Let today be the day you say,"Yes, Lord. I will seek you with all my heart." Break up your fallow ground. Lay aside the distractions. Pick up your Bible ( here ). (Or listen here) Fall to your knees. Whisper his name. And don't stop seeking him until he comes and reigns righteousness upon you. Because he will and when he does, you will never be the same.
Now let's take a moment to pray together.
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for another breath, another sunrise, and another undeserved chance to know you more. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for not giving up on me even when I've been distracted or distant. Your patience is a love l'll never fully comprehend, but one l deeply treasure. You have reminded me, Lord, that time is not something to take for granted. Every breath, every moment I'm given is a sacred gift from you, too valuable to waste, too precious to ignore. Help me to live each day with that awareness. Teach me how to honor time the way you designed it. Not by rushing from one thing to the next, and not by chasing things that don't satisfy, but by slowing down and living with intention, with heaven in view. Don't let me fall asleep on the inside. Don't let me drift through life numb to what really matters. Wake me up, Lord. Your word says the days are dark and the time is urgent. So shake me out of any complacency or comfort that keeps me stuck. Open my eyes to see the eternal things. Let my heart burn with what burns in yours. I don't want to spend my life building things that look good on the outside but are empty of eternal worth. I don't want to waste my energy chasing applause or approval that fades like mist. I want to plant seeds of righteousness, decisions, actions, and choices that carry weight in eternity. I want my life to reflect you, Jesus. I want to live in a way that pleases you, even when no one else is watching. Jesus, let my life be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you. May everything I do, whether seen by many or noticed by no one, be done as an offering to you. Let it come from a heart that reveres you and delights in serving you. Let my motives be clean, not driven by pride or fear, but rooted in love. Let my actions be shaped by grace and my desires be completely aligned with your will. Teach me to be wise with the time you've so generously given me. Help me not to squander it on distractions that don't matter. Give me discernment, Lord, to know when to say yes and the courage to say no when something is not from you. Help me to walk obediently with your spirit. Let how I spend my time reflect what I truly believe. Let my calendar match my convictions. Let my priorities mirror your heart. And when l'm tempted to delay, when I think l'Il pray later, l'll read your word later, l'll obey you later. Remind me that later is never guaranteed. Life is a vapor, and time slips by faster than l realize. Help me to say yes now, to pray now, to surrender your lordship and leadeship now. Let me not wait for a more convenient time that may never come. Place in me a holy urgency, a hunger that won't be satisfied with anything less than you today. And when life becomes noisy and demanding, when my mind is flooded with distractions, lead me back to still waters where l can rest in your presence and hear your voice. Make me more aware of you than of the world around me. Help me to guard my heart from the idols of this age. Keep me from being consumed by what is temporary. Let me store up treasures in heaven, not on earth. And when I begin to drift when my heart grows hard or cold, break up the fallow ground within me. Water my soul with grace. Let the dry places become beautiful gardens again. As your word says, we must give account for our lives. That moment will come. And when it does, I want to stand before you, not with regret, but with joy, knowing that I gave you my yes, my time, my heart, my all. Lord, keep me faithful in the daily decisions, the unseen choices to honor you, love others, speak life, forgive quickly, and walk humbly. Let my life be marked by obedience even when it costs something. I pray that I would not be lukewarm in my love for you. Let my heart burn with holy passion. Let me never be satisfied with a surface level faith. Take me deeper. Refine me, stretch me, mold me into your image. When the enemy tries to distract me with busyiness or discourage me with lies, help me recognize the schemes and stand firm. Let me resist with truth. Let me speak your promises aloud even when I feel weak. Your word is my sword and your spirit is my strength. Remind me Lord that in every season whether in joy or sorrow, clarity or confusion, you are near. You are not a distant God. You are present. You are good and you are working even when I cannot see. May my soul always be soft toward you. May my ears always be open to your correction. May my feet always be willing to walk in the narrow path that leads to life. And so, Lord Jesus Christ, I return again to that prayer. More of you, less of me, more of your presence, more of your voice, more of your leading in every area of my life. Strip away everything that competes for your place in my heart. Remove every idol, every distraction, every fear. Fill the space with more of you. Be my joy, my portion, my everything. Let me be found in you. Let my legacy be one of faithfulness. Let my time here, however long or short, bring glory to your name. Thank you for second chances, for open arms, for mercy that renews every morning. I surrender my days, my decisions, and my desires to you again. Be glorified in my life, Jesus, today, tomorrow, and forever. In your beautiful, powerful and holy name, Lord Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen.
现在，让我们一起祷告。
主耶稣基督，感谢你赐予我另一次呼吸，又一次日出，以及又一次不该赐予的机会，让我更加认识你。感谢你赐予我生命。感谢你即使在我心烦意乱或疏远的时候也没有放弃我。你的耐心是一种我永远无法完全理解的爱，但我深深地珍惜它。主啊，你提醒我，时间不是理所当然的东西。每一次呼吸，我被赋予的每一刻，都是你赐予的神圣礼物，珍贵到不容浪费，珍贵到不容忽视。帮助我以这样的意识度过每一天。教我如何按照你设计的方式尊重时间。不是匆匆忙忙地从一件事赶到另一件事，不是追逐那些无法满足的事物，而是放慢脚步，带着目标生活，以天堂为目标。别让我内心沉睡。 不要让我在生活中随波逐流，对真正重要的事情麻木不仁。主啊，请唤醒我。你的话说日子是黑暗的，时间是紧迫的。所以，请把我从任何让我停滞不前的自满或舒适中摇醒。打开我的眼睛，让我看到永恒的事物。让我的心因你心中的火焰而燃烧。我不想把我的一生花在建造外表看起来不错但缺乏永恒价值的事物上。我不想浪费我的精力追逐如雾般消逝的掌声或认可。我要种下公义的种子，我要做出在永恒中具有分量的决定、行动和选择。耶稣，我要我的生活反映出你。我要以一种让你喜悦的方式生活，即使在没有人在看的时候。耶稣，让我的生命成为活祭，圣洁而令你喜悦。愿我所做的一切，无论是被许多人看到还是无人注意，都是为了献给你。 让我的祷告发自一颗敬畏你、乐意侍奉你的心。让我的动机纯洁，不受骄傲或恐惧的驱使，而是扎根于爱。让我的行为被恩典所塑造，我的愿望与你的旨意完全一致。教我明智地利用你慷慨赐予我的时间。帮助我不要把它浪费在无关紧要的干扰上。主啊，给我洞察力，知道什么时候说是，当某些事情不是来自你时，给我勇气说不。帮助我顺服你的精神。让我如何利用我的时间反映出我真正的信仰。让我的日历与我的信念相符。让我的优先事项反映你的心意。当我想要拖延时，当我想稍后祈祷时，我会稍后阅读您的话语，我会稍后服从您。提醒我，稍后永远无法保证。生命如蒸气，时间流逝的速度比我意识到的要快。 帮助我现在就说“是”，现在就祷告，现在就交托你的主权和领导。让我不要等待可能永远不会到来的更方便的时机。在我里面放置一种神圣的紧迫感，一种饥渴，这种饥渴不会因今天没有你的任何东西而得到满足。当生活变得喧嚣和苛刻，当我的思绪被纷扰淹没时，请引导我回到平静的水面，在那里我可以安息在你面前，聆听你的声音。让我更多地关注你而不是我周围的世界。帮助我保守我的心远离这个时代的偶像。让我不被短暂的事物所吞噬。让我在天上而不是在地上积攒财宝。当我开始随波逐流，当我的心变得坚硬或冰冷时，请开垦我内心的休耕地。用恩典浇灌我的灵魂。让干旱之地再次变成美丽的花园。正如你所说，我们必须为自己的生活负责。 那一刻终将到来。而当它来临时，我希望站在你面前，不是后悔，而是喜乐，因为我知道我已经把我的诺言、我的时间、我的心、我的一切都给了你。主啊，让我在日常的抉择中，在那些看不见的选择中保持忠诚，以荣耀你、爱他人、表达生命、迅速原谅并谦卑地行走。让我的生命充满顺服，即使要付出代价。我祈祷我对你的爱不会不冷不热。让我的心燃烧着神圣的激情。让我永远不会满足于表面的信仰。带我走得更深。磨练我，拓展我，把我塑造成你的形象。当敌人试图用忙碌分散我的注意力或用谎言让我灰心丧气时，请帮助我识别这些阴谋并坚定立场。让我用真理抵抗。让我即使在感到软弱时也大声说出你的承诺。你的话语是我的剑，你的精神是我的力量。 主啊，请提醒我，无论在哪个季节，无论是快乐还是悲伤，清晰还是困惑，你就在我身边。你不是遥远的上帝。你就在我身边。你是善良的，即使在我看不见的时候，你也在做工。愿我的灵魂永远对你温柔。愿我的耳朵永远听你的纠正。愿我的脚步永远愿意走在通往生命的狭窄道路上。所以，主耶稣基督，我再次回到那个祷告。更多的是你，更少的是我，更多的是你的存在，更多的是你的声音，更多的是你在我生活的每个领域的领导。剥去所有在我心中争夺你位置的事物。除去每一个偶像，每一个干扰，每一个恐惧。用更多的你来填满空间。成为我的快乐，我的份，我的一切。让我在你里面被找到。让我的遗产成为忠诚之一。让我在这里的时间，无论长短，都为你的名带来荣耀。感谢你给我第二次机会，感谢你张开的双臂，感谢你每天早晨更新的怜悯。我再次将我的日子、我的决定和我的愿望交托给你。耶稣，愿你在我的生命中得荣耀，今天、明天，直到永远。奉你美丽、强大和神圣的名，主耶稣基督，我祷告。
阿门。
让我们在这里反思一下“时间”这个词。
在我们祷告之前，让我们先花点时间聆听神的话语，然后我们一起祷告。
何西阿书10:12说：“你们要为自己栽种公义，就能收割慈爱。现今正是寻求耶和华的时候，你们要开垦荒地，等他临到，用公义掌权，治理你们。” 让我们在这里思考一下“时间”这个词。
休耕地是指在一段时间内不耕种的土地，让其恢复并再生养分。这种农业实践有助于改善土壤健康，并提高未来的作物产量。
时间是上帝赐予我们的最神秘、最珍贵的礼物之一。我们无法抓住它。我们无法控制它。我们无法让它倒流或放慢速度。无论我们是否留意，它都在不停地流逝。而且，很多时候，当我们忙于追逐那些短暂的事物时，时间就从我们的指尖溜走了，尽管我们不愿承认。 浪费生命，浪费时间。我们常说：“我只是需要更多时间。”尤其是在属灵的事上。需要更多时间祷告，更多时间与神同在，更多时间成为我们本该成为的人。然而，日子匆匆流逝，责任堆积如山，干扰成倍增加，我们渐渐迷失。我们渐渐疏远了亲密的关系，也渐渐疏远了最初的爱。有一天，我们回首往事，不禁感叹，时间都去哪儿了？
老年人的言谈中蕴含着年轻人所不具备的智慧。他们见识过生命是多么短暂。他们知道眨眼间意识到岁月流逝的滋味。他们谈论的遗憾，不是关于他们做过的事情，而是关于他们没有与所爱之人共度的时光，他们从未祈祷过的祷告，他们推迟到以后的平安，以及他们一直想着将来某一天去寻求的神。而年轻人则常常以为自己拥有所有的时间。 不用着急，对吧？明天还早。他们最终会认真对待自己的信仰。他们会在工作、恋爱、享乐之后再去追求上帝。但圣经清楚地提醒我们，没有人能保证明天。时间脆弱，转瞬即逝。时间是一份礼物，只有当它流逝时，我们才会意识到它的价值。这就是为什么何西阿书的话如此紧迫。是时候寻求主了。不是明天，不是下周，也不是当一切都安定下来的时候。圣经在以赛亚书55:6中说：“当趁耶和华可寻找的时候寻找他，相近的时候求告他。”这些话令人警醒。它们提醒我们，邀请的窗口不会永远打开。这并不是因为上帝残忍，而是因为人心会变得刚硬。机会会溜走，时间会耗尽。曾经来自圣灵的温柔牵引，变成了我们几乎再也听不到的回声。 箴言 1：28-29 节说：“那时，他们必求告我，我却不答应；他们必恳切寻求我，却寻不见，因为他们恨恶知识，不选择敬畏耶和华。” 这并不是要吓唬我们。这是为了唤醒我们，因为回应的时候就是现在。选择主耶稣基督的时候就是现在。寻求他面容的时候不是某一天。而是今天。如果你需要更清晰的理解，请听雅各书 4：14 的话。你不知道明天会发生什么。你的生命是什么？它甚至是一片云雾，出现片时就消失了。
想想看。一会儿是云雾，一会儿就消失了。我们的日子就这样过去了。这就是为什么以弗所书 5：15-16 敦促我们。 那么要非常小心你的生活。不是像愚昧人那样，而是像智慧人那样，充分利用时间，因为现今的世代邪恶。时间短暂，世界喧嚣，我们的灵魂很容易被哄骗进入梦乡。但罗马书 13:1 说：“你们晓得现今就是该趁早睡醒的时候，因为我们得救，现今比初信的时候更近了。”你能在这些经文中听到上帝的心跳吗？他不只是在命令我们。他在呼唤我们。就像一位父亲想念他的孩子们。就像一位牧羊人渴望他的羊回来。他在说：“醒来吧，我的爱人。不要再飘零了。不要浪费我给你的。回到我身边。回到你的初爱。开垦休耕地。”什么是休耕地？它是长期未被触及的土壤。 这片土地曾经肥沃，但因为无人照料而变得坚硬。当我们拖延寻求神时，我们的心就会变成这样。坚硬、沉闷、干燥，罪恶和冷漠的杂草会生根发芽。但神的邀请很明确。打破它。回到花园。拔掉杂草。正如何西阿书10:12所说：“你们要为自己栽种公义，就能收割慈悲。你们今天种的，将塑造你们的明天。你们凭着信心播下的种子，终有一天会开出慈悲、平安和永恒的喜乐。”
那么，让我问你，你是否在利用你所拥有的时间去寻找那位赐予你时间的人？你是否在为了这个不会长久的世界而推迟最重要的关系？
亲爱的，上帝就在你身边。他的双臂张开。他的精神在召唤。不要等到危机来唤醒你。不要等到后悔来提醒你什么是重要的。让今天成为你说“是的，主。我将全心全意寻求你”的日子。开垦你的荒地。抛开干扰。拿起你的圣经（这里）。（或在这里收听）跪下。低声呼唤他的名字。不要停止寻求他，直到他来并用公义统治你。因为他会来，而当他这样做时，你将永远不一样了。
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