I Am His, and He Is Mine

Nowadays since I have the two books of hymns with me, I love to just take one, randomly, and open any page, randomly as well. I am surprised and caught off guard every time by the hymns in front of my eyes. Not trying to be mystical or any sort but I believe every hymn is beautifully written and composed that I must explore all. Of course, if I choose, I will choose those that I know, somehow :P

Today, I got this hymn : I Am His, and He Is Mine. The title may look simple (I thought so too at first), I do not expect the words to be very theological, I expected it would be simple, judging from the title (prejudice-in-practice :p). But just take a look at all these :

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 I now know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as I now 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.

The powerfulness of the words came straight from the first stanza : Loved with everlasting love, Led by grace that love to know. It talks about not only the peace from God, but the full and perfect one. And the second stanza continues with the joy of knowing Christ, to be able to see heaven above softer blue, earth around sweeter green which people who does not know Christ will have never seen : Christless eyes have never seen. The skies are bluer, the grass are greener, the birds sang sweeter and the flowers looked lovelier, all because we know that we are His and He is ours.

Then, somehow the third stanza hits me right on my weak spot. Worry, anxiousness, alarming states due to all worldly happenings: exams, assignments. Not to mention how my sleep has recently been badly disturbed by horrid imaginations, visions, sounds. Things that are able to shake my faith. But the hymn says, " Things that once were wild alarms, cannot now disturb my rest, closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast". The author repeats again, the everlasting love of God here and added "O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign". Resign meaning we do not have to put an effort to remove it, they will on their own move away, because we are in Him. Very deep indeed.

I love the last stanza. I love the assurance despite difficulties. I love the promise of God. His forever, only His, Who the Lord and me shall part? And Christ Himself has said that, assured us of that. He died for us, a perfect salvation, once and for all, forever and no one could ever remove us from Him. The author even assured us more, that where we are and where we would be may change, may disappear, the light which brightens us may grow dim in this world, but while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine!

Lastly, notice how the last part with I am His and He is mine is always repeated twice. I think we know that Jesus said that we are His and He is ours. But I think the author wanted us to go the extra mile and experience what it really feels like. So, it's as if, if you have really bad memories and forgot most part of the hymn, this is the part that you should always take away with you, so repeat that again : In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine.

... the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. Psalm 104:12