Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Smoke of a Thousand Villages

"I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages--villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in this world."
[Robert Moffat, Missionary to South African Interior, 19th Century]

This man saw a need, a very great need. As he peered towards the sky daily he would gaze upon smoke that ascended from the villages of tribes of men who were unknown to men and unreached for Christ. This alone kept him in the dangerous South African Interior for over half a century as he labored joyfully for the Lord, and although often at times he never met the men of these tribes he sought to reach with the Gospel, he loved them. He almost daily faced opposition and death, but such things were minor obstacles that he simply trusted in the Lord to get him through. Rough terrain, dangerous countryside, foreign tongue, extreme climates, and cannibals would not halt him in bringing the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ unto lost men who were without Christ, without God, and without any hope in this world. "He had withstood medicine men like Elijah had withstood the prophets of Baal at Carmel."

Although that was almost a century ago, the smoke continues to rise, and it is rising here in our own hometowns. It is rising from the souls of men who are without Christ, without God, and without any hope in this world, and it is our duty to bring to them the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Young man. Young woman. Give up your life to Christ and spend your days laboring for Him and His glory bringing the Gospel unto lost men. We have one chance to do this.

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