SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” -Luke 6: 37-38
I gave My life for thee, My precious I shed, that thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me? I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?
My Father’s house of light, My glory circled throne, I left, for earthly night, for wanderings sad and lone; I left, I left it all for thee, hast thou left aught for Me? I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?
I suffered much thee, more than the tongue can tell, of bitterest agony to rescue thee from hell; I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, what hast thou borne for Me? I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee, what hast thou borne for Me?
A vivid painting of Christ, wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob, is displayed in the art museum of Dusseldorf, Germany. Under the painting by Sternberg are the words, “This have I done for thee; what hast thou done for Me?” When Frances Havergal viewed the painting during a visit to Germany, she was deeply moved. As she gazed at it in tears, she wrote down the lines of this hymn text on scrap of paper. After returning to her home in England, she felt the poetry was so poor that she tossed the lines into a stove. The scorched scrap of paper amazingly floated out of the flames and landed on the floor, where it was found by Frances’ father, Rev. William Havergal, an Anglican minister, a noted poet, and a church musician. He encouraged her to preserve the poem by composing the first melody for it. The tune was composed for this text by the noted American gospel songwriter, Philip P. Bliss, and was first published in 1873.
After Jesus was hanging on the cross for 6 hours, He cried out “My God, My God, why have You left Me so alone?” During those hours on the cross Jesus became the go-between for people and God. Jesus is the way through which any man, woman or child can be touched by God.
That afternoon, the whole earth was covered with darkness. Like a blanket, the heavy blackness covered both city and countryside. Jesus was also in darkness. For the first and only time in Jesus’ life, God looked away from His Son. As Jesus took on the sin of the world, He felt the pain and hurt of it all.
Jesus said nothing for a long time, He was in great pain and very slowly dying. “Father, here is My Spirit!” Jesus had suffered enough. The price was paid. The way back to God was open now. Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, “It is finished!” It was a cry of a battle won. Jesus bowed His head and took His last breath.
Prayer point: Jesus gave His life for us; we must pray that we will have the spirit to give to others who are in need.
STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: INSPIRING STORIES BEHIND OUR BEST-LOVED HYMNS
