There’s nothing like starting off a new year reading a biography of a man who sought after Christ with all he had.  This biography is one by Andrew Bonar on a man who lived just shy of his 30th birthday, the Scottish minister Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813-1843).  You can read up more on his life here and read his biography for free on Kindle.

In reading through his biography, I found some very choice quotes by M’Cheyne in various areas of his Christian walk and ministry.  This gives us a glimpse into the heart of M’Cheyne’s desperate pursuit of Christ in all things.

On the importance of a pastor’s devotional life:

His heart was filled, and his lips then spoke what he felt within his heart. He gave out not merely living water, but living water drawn at the springs that he had himself drank of; and is not this a true gospel ministry?

On the pursuit of holiness:

Pray for me, that I may be made holier and wiser–less like myself, and more like my heavenly Master; that I may not regard my life, if so be I may finish my course with joy. This day eleven years ago, I lost my loved and loving brother, and began to seek a Brother who cannot die.

On evangelism:

In bringing a soul to the Saviour, the Holy Spirit invariably leads it to very deep consciousness of sin; but then He causes this consciousness of sin to be more distressing and intolerable to some than to others. But in one point does the experience of all believing sinners agree in this matter, viz. their soul presented to their view nothing but an abyss of sin, when the grace of God that bringeth salvation appeared.

On the dangers of celebrity preachers:

I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ’s sake–until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ. Lord, give me this!

On the well from which preachers draw their sermons:

Hence when one asked him, If he was never afraid of running short of sermons some day? he replied, “No; I am just an interpreter of Scripture in my sermons; and when the Bible runs dry, then I shall.”

This last quote reveals his love for the Word and the Lord who revealed the Word.  With the Scriptures and the quickening of the Spirit, the well from which preachers draw their sermons will never run dry.

I hope you’ll take time to read through Bonar’s biography on this godly man and minister.  I have now entered the year refreshed, not simply because of his example, but also of the Christ that fueled him.  M’Cheyne was the epitome of Jesus being enough!