Like Christ by Andrew Murray–Book Review

In one of those frequent “godcidences” I picked up this book to use as a daily devotional. After perusing it a bit, I realized that the theme is union with Christ — exactly what our Bible study class has been learning about recently.

Andrew Murray (1828-1917) was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa.  He spent 60 years in ministry, writing more than 200 books and tracts on Christian spirituality and ministry, doing extensive social work, and founding of educational institutions. In this book, he says he has two purposes:

1. To draw a portrait of Jesus, showing how He was the exact pattern that God desires us as Christians, to imitate
2. To help Christians to meditate on the image of Christ and allow that image to live in us, so that it is reflected in our own lives

Through thirty-one short readings, he discusses the different ways we can and should follow the example of Jesus. At the end there is an essay for pastors, “On Preaching Christ Our Example.” His contention is that we focus on the truth of Christ’s atoning death but neglect the power that this gives us to live a redeemed life. For Murray, the two things are inseparable.

VERDICT: 5 STARS. Union with Christ is a topic that’s difficult (at least or me) to grasp. Murray’s work will help you understand how to practice this challenging theological doctrine in daily life.

Note: You can purchase it as a Kindle book for Amazon for only $2.99

For more book reviews on devotionals see:

90 Days with The God Who speaks –Book Review

Women of Courage: a Forty-Day Devotional — Book Review

Big and Little Coloring Devotional – Book Review

Reading the Psalms With Luther–Book Review

I borrowed this book from my husband’s office at church because it looked like it fit well with our theme this month and some of the posts I have been doing on the Psalms.  The Psalter was Martin Luther’s daily prayer book as a monk and the subject of his initial lectures as a professor.  His lectures and commentaries on the Psalms fill five volumes in the American Edition of Luther’s Works  

 This book combines several resources.  The text of each Psalm is included along with the translation of Luther’s Summaries on that Psalm.  To maintain the devotional style some things have been omitted, and his shorter summaries supplemented with comments from other writings.  Each Psalm is also accompanied by a prayer drawn from Book of Devotion:  The Psalms by Rev. F. Kuegle.  The Book also includes instructions for singing the Psalms, categories of Psalms, and a schedule of Psalms for daily prayer.

Reading the Psalms With Luther is an excellent resource for individual or family devotions.  I hope some of our authors and readers will try it and post their opinion.