One other thing that he took away from his university and seminary training was friendships.

This is kind of another little application along the way.

He had some remarkably deep friendships.

Andrew Bonar was the closest and then Alexander Somerville.

The circle went out a little wider, but those two especially were remarkable friends.

They used to study together, pray together, sing together, evangelize together.

And the reason this has to be mentioned is because we wouldn't know of him without those friends.

How does God use our formative years to shape us?

In this episode of Light and Truth,

John Piper examines how God changed the entire trajectory of Robert Murray McShane's life during his time at university.

This talk was originally given at the Desiring God 2011 conference for pastors.

Now God knew that McShane would die at age 29. That's his plan. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

Nobody else does. He has taken out of Satan's hand the power of death.

According to Hebrew is 214.

So God knew that by appointment this beloved son would die at age 29,

which may be why God ordained that his call to the ministry was simultaneous with his call to Christ.

So he enrolled in Divinity School at the University of Edinburgh,

November after his brother's death in July.

This is before he was born again,

according to his own testimony.

So November of 1831, he is now enrolled in the Divinity Hall at the University of Edinburgh.

And like so many people, certainly me, he met in those days the man who would be the decisive theological experiential influence on his Christian life namely Thomas Chalmers.

...