Robert Murray M'Cheyne by Andrew Bonar (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 3 (First years of labour in Dundee) by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'In the close of the same year 1837, he agreed to become Secretary to the Association for Church Extension in the county of Forfar.'
We read about his:
(i) private devotions;
(ii) visiting the sick and dying;
(iii) work with young people;
(iv) church prayer meetings;
(v) Sunday services;
(vi) preaching;
(vii) refusal of calls to other churches.
Interesting to read of M'Cheyne's discernment of God's will, particularly when it comes to changing churches: 'Few godly pastors can be willing to change the scene of their labors, unless it be plain that the Cloudy Pillar is pointing them away. It is perilous for men to choose for themselves; and too often has it happened that the minister who, on slight grounds, moved away from his former watch-tower, has had reason to mourn over the disappointment of his hopes in his larger and wider sphere. But while this is admitted, probably it may appear unwarrantable in Mr. M'Cheyne to have prayed for a sign of the Lord's will. It is to be observed, however, that he decided the point of duty on other grounds; and it was only with the view of obtaining an additional confirmation by the occurrences of providence, that he prayed in this manner, in submission to the will of the Lord. He never held it right to decide the path of duty by any such signs or tokens; he believed that the written word supplied sufficient data for guiding the believing soul; and such providential occurrences as happened in this case he regarded as important only as far as they might be answers to prayer.'
All too often people discern God's will through inner promptings and feelings, rather than using the all sufficient word of God.
Conclude Chapter 3 (First years of labour in Dundee).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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