July 1, 1838 a young preacher stood in a pulpit in Dundee, Scotland and preached a message entitled "A Time of Refreshing" from Isaiah 44:3-4,"For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams."
He said this about self-dedication to God...
"Oh! there is no greater joy than for a believing soul to give himself all to God. This has always been the way in times of refreshing. It was so at Pentecost. First they gave their ownselves unto the Lord. It was so with Boston, and Doddridge, and Edwards, and all the holy men of old. 'I have this day been before God,' says Edwards, 'and have given myself—all that I am and have—to God; so that I am in no respect my own. I can challenge no right in myself, in this understanding, this will, these affections. Neither have I right to this body, or any of its members; no right to this tongue, these hands, these feet, these eyes, these ears. I have given myself clean away.' Oh! would that you knew the joy of giving yourself away. You cannot keep yourself. Oh! this day try and give all to Him. Lie in his hand. Little children, O that you would become like him who said: 'I am God’s boy altogether, mother!' Write on your hand; 'I am the Lord’s.' "Robert Murray M'Cheyene in Sermons of Robert Murray M'Cheyene (London, 1961), 19.
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