|
|
|
Another
reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out.
Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first
believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So
don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty
clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in
the light. We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone
can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting
drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy.
(Romans 13:11-13 NLV). Did
you notice the title of this morning’s devotional? It is “Daylight Saving Time.” The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not
Daylight Savings Time. Saving is used here as a verbal adjective (a participle). It
modifies time and tells us more about
its nature; namely, that it is characterized by the activity of saving daylight.
It is a saving daylight kind of time.
Similar examples would be dog walking time
or book reading time. Since saving
is a verb describing a single type of activity, the form is singular. Daylight Saving Time begins for most
of the United States at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April, which is today.
Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. In the
US, each time zone switches at a different time. In the European Union, Summer
Time begins and ends at 1 am Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). It starts the
last Sunday in March, and ends the last Sunday in October. In the EU, all time
zones change at the same moment. During DST, clocks are turned forward an hour,
effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. The
concept actually began with Benjamin Franklin. He was the first to advocate
changing the clocks to move an hour of daylight from the beginning of the day to
the end of it. Regardless, it has become a standard practice. As I began to
think about it, I remembered the verses of our reading this morning. The Apostle
Paul encouraged the new Christians in Rome to live “in the light.” He
explains that kind of living is “right living.” I
think it is more than just doing good deeds, though that’s certainly a part of
it. Have you ever wondered what it might be like if everyone could know your
thoughts? I must confess that there are times when I am a little embarrassed by
the thoughts that enter my mind. I know that a passing thought is not a sin.
However, I also know that when we guard our minds as if those thoughts could be
known by all, it is easier to never act on them. I have also found that it is
easier to control my thoughts when I actively dwell on good things. The best way
to accomplish this is through the memorization and meditation of Scripture. Give
it a try and see if it doesn’t make your “daylight” much more positive! |
|
