The Importance of Personal Pronouns

 

After “Mama” and “Dada,” one of the first words many babies learn to say is “Mine!”

From the very beginnings of our lives we are interested in what belongs to us. As we grow older, many of the things that we thought were necessary to have in order to make us happy, just don’t matter anymore. Many times the important things are the intangibles: the people, the work, the places and the experiences we own.

Some of the most precious scriptures to Christians are those that tell us what we have because of Christ. We are told in at least four places in the Psalms that God is our portion. (Psalm 16:5, 73:26, 119:57 and 142:5).

Quoting Puritan writer, George Swinnock from his Works, IV:7-12, he says:

“When God says to the soul, ‘I am yours, and all that I have,’ who can tell how the heart leaps with joy…the pronoun ‘my’ is worth so much to the soul. All our consolation indeed consists in this pronoun. He is my God. All the joys of the believer are hung upon this one string. Break this and all is lost.”

Nothing comforts a Christian like the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” God yearns to make us His. He initiates that personal relationship that He intends to keep for eternity. When we acknowledge Him as ours, both He and we internally leap for joy. Martin Luther once said:

“The heart of religion lies in its personal pronouns.”

In 1876, hymn writer George W. Robinson penned these words:

Loved with everlasting love,
    led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above,
    Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace!
    O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
    I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease,
    I am His, and He is mine.

Heav’n above is softer blue,
    Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue
    Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
    flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
    I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as now I know,
    I am His, and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms
    cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
    pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here,
    doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear,
    I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear,
    I am His, and He is mine.

His forever, only His;
    Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
    Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee,
    firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be,
    I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be,
    I am His, and He is mine.

Can you say of God, “I am His and He is mine!”?

The answer to that question will reveal much about your life of faith and where you are on the road. The next time you hear a toddler yell, “Mine!”—or read Scripture and see the personal pronouns—remember all that God has to give you and rejoice!