Let's Go Back to the Bible

My God, our God. Your God?

It is interesting to study the personal possessive pronouns used by various ones in the Bible regarding their relationship with God.  Such is certainly the case when reading the book of Daniel.  Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego and Daniel all referred to God with first person possessive pronouns—“our God whom we serve is able to deliver us” (3:17); “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths” (6:22).  But, King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius, when they witnessed the power of the Almighty God and actually took opportunity to honor and praise the God of heaven, never used the personal “my” to speak of God.  These kings held God at a distance, with the second person possessive pronoun—“Truly your God is the God of gods” (2:47); “Your God…will deliver you” (6:16, 20); “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego” (3:28); “men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel” (6:26).

Read Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9.  Have you made God your first person possessive God, “I prayed to the Lord my God…”?  Or, are you holding Him at a distance?