Raising Your Children For Christ by Andrew Murray
I generally blog about the new books that publishers send me to read. I thought that I would take a break from that today and share a bit of my love of the classics. I love the early writers of the church. I am much more able to find my heart resonating in leather bound 18th century poetry or 19th century missionary writings than in a modern book.
All of that being said, Andrew Murray is one of my favorite authors. He was a missionary from Scotland to South America in the late 18 to early 1900's. My first book to read by him was entitled Humility and Absolute Surrender. I tell everyone that this is the place you should start in discipleship. I say that because I got convicted in the forward. If we can master self and have a proper view of ourselves before God, we can so much more readily master the flesh in other areas of life.
Andrew Murray did not disappoint me in this book either. I have referenced it many times over the past five years. The biblical approach to parenting and the realization of the gravity of our Christian walk before our children in unparalleled. This is not your common trifle about adding Jesus to your parenting or how to use Scripture to get your kids to behave. This is a deep work of the gut wrenching toil that we must go through to parent and lead our children to Christ. This is a call for our own self-control and obedience to Christ. We must be submitted and lead to the throne room of grace. This is a must read for all parents who desire godliness for themselves and their children. No longer sacrifice your children to worldly ambition or social pressure. Let them truly be set apart as a peculiar people.
Comments
I am struggling with raising my children with love and faith. My own childhood was chaotic and dysfunctional, and with my parents divorce, my mother raised us as best as she could, but it was still terribly lacking. So at 43 years of age, and four children between ages 13 to 7 with temper and fighting problems (which is what I grew up with)....it's darn hard. I do find Andrew's book most helpful because he isn't focused on "spare the rod, spoil the child" approach that so many christians tend to do. Andrew goes deeper and shows a better way.
I have recently decided to join an online group of other mothers who have struggles with their children as well, and desire to share some excerpts of Andrew's book when appropriate. :)