Every loss leaves a space that can be filled with God’s presence.

生命的空洞都能由主填满。

Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

为我失丧生命的，将要得着生命。-马太福音10章39节

When I married my English fiancé and moved to the United Kingdom, I thought it would be a five-year adventure in a foreign land. I never dreamed I’d still be living here nearly twenty years later, or that at times I’d feel like I was losing my life as I said goodbye to family and friends, work, and all that was familiar. But in losing my old way of life, I’ve found a better one.

我和英国籍的未婚夫结婚后，便搬迁到英国。那时，我原以为这只是为期五年的异国生活。我从未想到在将近20年后，我仍住在这里。记得当时我和家人、朋友、工作，以及熟悉事物道别时，我觉得失去了自己的人生。但如今回顾这些日子，虽然失去了旧有的生活，我却找到了更好的。

The upside-down gift of finding life when we lose it is what Jesus promised to His apostles. When He sent out the twelve disciples to share His good news, He asked them to love Him more than their mothers or fathers, sons or daughters (Matt. 10:37). His words came in a culture where families were the cornerstone of the society and highly valued. But He promised that if they would lose their life for His sake, they would find it (v. 39).

这让我联想到，耶稣曾告诉门徒，为祂失去生命，必要得着生命，这听起来相当矛盾。那时耶稣派十二个门徒出去传扬福音，耶稣要门徒爱祂，胜过爱他们的母亲、父亲与儿女（马太福音10章37节）。在当时，家庭如同社会的基石，十分受到重视。然而耶稣却应许，若有人为祂牺牲生命，将要得着生命（39节）。

We don’t have to move abroad to find ourselves in Christ. Through service and commitment—such as the disciples going out to share the good news of the kingdom of God—we find ourselves receiving more than we give through the lavish love the Lord showers on us. Of course He loves us no matter how much we serve, but we find contentment, meaning, and fulfillment when we pour ourselves out for the well-being of others.

我们无须移居海外才能找到在基督里的生命意义。我们只要像门徒一样，四处传扬上帝国的福音，忠心地服事，就会发现上帝丰盛的爱浇灌我们，让我们的领受远超过我们的付出。虽然不论服事多寡，上帝都深爱我们，但在为他人的福祉付出的同时，我们会感到满足，生命也更有意义和价值。

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Isaac Watts.

每逢思想奇妙十架，荣耀之主在上悬挂， 万般尊贵顿看有损，从前所夸今觉鄙下。

Read: Matthew 10:37–42

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;  anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

整理：于姊妹