Is Jesus MINE?

There's a wonderful hymn many Christian know well; “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of glory divine…” While I love that song, I’ve recently had questions about its words. This started when I read a poem which suggested people interested in a relationship with God should pray, “Jesus be mine”. While I know the poet was innocent and well-meaning, when I read the words of that poem something didn’t seem right to me. But what could possibly be wrong with people praying, “Jesus be mine”?

As I meditated on it, I slowly began seeing a subtle flaw in that beautiful phrase Jesus is Mine. Jesus is not mine - I am His. That might sound picky and insignificant, but I see a world of difference between the two. When we say ‘Jesus is mine’ we make ourselves the possessor of Jesus. Instead, we should be making Jesus the possessor (our Lord) by saying ‘Jesus I’m yours’.

Most Christians would be shocked to learn that the Bible doesn’t teach people to invite Jesus into their lives. The Bible instructs people to surrender their lives to Him - to make Jesus Lord of their lives. The Bible teaches Christians they are no longer their own, they are God’s possession.

Even though Blessed Assurance was written in 1873, it’s catchy phrase ‘Jesus is mine’, reflects a dangerous thinking among many Christian oriented people today. For many people, life is made up of various parts; profession, family, friends, recreation, God and country. They view Christianity simply as another part of their lives – the spiritual or God part. They may attend church, worship on Sunday and even give offerings but often Jesus not the Lord of their life, He’s simply a part of their life. It’s much easier for people to fulfill their weekly or monthly religious duty and then get on with their ‘normal’ lives than to make Jesus their Lord. Unfortunately they have made Jesus their possession instead of being His possession.

This realization has affected the way I now pray. I’m beginning to recognize how self centered much of my praying has been. Now, instead of focusing on prayers that benefit and serve my life, I’ve started praying that Jesus will have complete control of my life - that I will be His possession. Not my will, but His be done!