复活节四

生却在你们身上发动

——哥林多后书四章十二节

没有园丁付出的汗水，便没有鲜花的芬芳与娇艳；没有父母付出的劬劳，便没有儿女的成长与康健；没有先辈付出的热血与牺牲，便没有后代的幸福与欢乐。

这正是死而复活的真理的一个侧面：没有使徒付出的劳苦与眼泪，便没有教会的建立与长大成人；正如没有一颗麦粒的死，便没有许多子粒的生，死若不在我们身上发动，生就不可能发动在别人身上。

求主引导我们进入死而复活的真理，使我们为别人的生，甘愿付出自己的汗水与辛劳，甚而不惜自己的消亡与耗尽。

Easter 4

2 Corinthians 4:12

So life is at work in you

   If not for the sweat of the gardener, flowers would have no beauty or fragrance. Children would not grow healthy and strong without the efforts of their parents. Without the sufferings and sacrifices of their forebears, succeeding generations would not know well-being and happiness.

  This is one aspect of the truth of death and resurrection: even as the wheat will not sprout until the seed falls to the earth and dies, the church could not be established or grow to maturity without the toil and tears of the apostles. If death is not at work in us, life cannot be at work in others.

  O God, lead us into the truth of death and resurrection, that we may live for others, giving willingly of our sweat and toil, begrudging not even exhaustion and death.