The sign of Jacob’s well should lead us to realize our need of something other than tradition, and this is our need for a living person, the Son of God. In John 4:10 the Lord Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. ” This gift is the Son of God Himself. Isaiah 9:6 says that a Son has been given to us, and John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes into Him may have eternal life. In this God-given gift is eternal life.
We cannot separate eternal life from the gift of God. God’s gift to us includes both His Son and His divine life. These two are one gift, for the divine life is in the Son, and the Son actually is the divine life (14:6). Therefore, 1 John 5:11 and 12 say, “God gave to us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. ” The thirst in human life cannot be satisfied by tradition. Our thirst can be quenched only by a living person, the One who has been given to us to be our eternal life.
The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John
Chapter 14 The Two Traditional Signs in John 4: Jacob’s Well and Mount Gerizim (LSM)
This was spoken by Pontius Pilate after he brought forth the Lord Jesus (who had been scourged) to the hostile crowd in Jerusalem. He declared “…I find no fault in Him. ” Jn 19:4
Count Zinzendorf whom the Lord used to help raise up the Moravian Brethren was also touched and inspired to give himself to the service of the Lord after viewing the same painting by Sternberg with the words, “This I have done for thee, what has thou done for me? ”
May our response be “Lord, since You have given all for me, I respond in love to You. I open my entire being as an open vessel to be filled and occupied by you—may You live in and through me, dearest Lord! ” “Gain me thoroughly and wholly for your Body’s sake and for Your move upon the earth today! ”
I believe the hymn that Frances Havergal wrote after gazing at the Sternberg painting, "Ecce Homo," in Dusseldorf Germany was "Thy Life was Given for Me." Written below the painting were the words that have inspired devotion over the centuries: "This have I done for thee, what hast thou done for Me?"
Frances Ridley Havergal, oftentimes referred to as “hymnody’s sweetest voice, ” was born December 14, 1836, at Astley, Worcestershire, England. She was the youngest child of the Rev. William Henry Havergal, a minister of the Church of England. He was a poet and a church musician. Frances was also trained in linguistics and music. Even though she was highly educated, she had a simple faith and deep love for her Lord. It is said that she never wrote a line without first praying about it. In spite of her frail health, she lived a productive life until her early death at age forty-three.
Frances studied in Düsseldorf, Germany. In the art gallery of that city there hangs a famous painting by Sternberg, “Ecce Homo, ” a portrayal of Christ, wearing a crown of thorns, standing before Pilate and the Jewish mob. Beneath it are the words, “This have I done for thee; what hast thou done for Me? ”
After seeing the painting, Miss Havergal was moved in a profound way. She looked at the painting for a long time, then wrote some words on a piece of paper quickly drafting the words to a hymn titled “I Gave My Life For Thee”-436 in hymnal. net. Later when she visited her home in England, she noticed the words she had scribbled so quickly, were poorly written so she tossed the paper into a stove. The paper, however, is said to have floated out of the flames and landed on the floor. They were found by her father who encouraged her to keep the words and composed the first tune for the text.
Frances Havergal is also the author of the hymns “Take My Life and Let It Be” and “I Am Trusting Thee Lord Jesus”
She died of peritonitis in 1879 and is buried beside her father and sister in a cemetery in the Gower Peninsula in Wales.
I really enjoyed this Hymn at the early stage of my Christian life. Up to today, this Hymn still reminds me that my life is His as His is mine. Indeed "nothing can untwine Thy life from mine"
I love this hymn! The writer of this hymn wrote many hymns of consecration to the Lord. Surely a life of consecration was her experience. May we all go on and live a daily life full of consecration to the Lord, no matter where we are starting from in our present condition. He will do the work of recovering our whole being to Himself if we open to Him and allow Him to have a way in us. May our daily consecration be enriched by the singing of these hymns so richly provided for us to lead us in the right way, the way that leads to His goal.