Day 13
The Mind of a Missionary Devotional

The Smoke of a Thousand Villages
Robert Moffat

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” — Philippians 4:8

It was an early morning in 1837, and warped floorboards creaked as Robert Moffat shuffled across the porch. He found his favorite outdoor chair, squinted his deep, doleful eyes, and looked out upon the scattered ramshackle homes bejeweled in the distant valley. Leisure sunlight warmed the terrain, and the man fixated on the thin wisps of smoke rising slowly, then vanishing above foreign homes.

The vast landscapes of Kuruman, South Africa, stretched out before Moffat as he sat, absorbing the beauty of the African sunrise. He gazed upon the horizon, recalling memories of his Scottish homeland. The sprawling landscapes, familiar hues, and gentle whispers of nature evoked a deep nostalgia, drawing his thoughts back to Scotland. Yet, despite the similarities, the South African landscape bore striking differences: patchwork lean-tos, crippling poverty, and multitudes left without Gospel access.

With a sudden burst of compassionate sentiment, tears streaked down Moffat’s cheekbones, pooling in his white, timeworn beard. He recognized it again; he caught another glimpse of the spiritual reality he long understood but had grown accustomed to, even overlooked. He pondered villages without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world, weeping at the sudden realization of their lostness.

Moffat had been in Africa for twenty years, pioneering evangelistic outreach, raising local believers, and forming a chain of mission stations throughout Africa’s interior. However, when Robert, his wife, Mary, and their children boarded a ship to England for their first furlough after twenty years of missionary service, a flurry of contemplations made the man anxious. He pondered whether he had been forgotten and what was expected of him. That age-old inner critic—the haunting voice every missionary hears—babbled like a cacophony of self-doubt and anxiety. For though Moffat had plowed the hard ground and sown seeds where no missionary had ever stepped, he was far more conscious of his deficiencies than anyone else.

To his amazement, his work profoundly impacted the home churches, leading to unforeseen influence. His popularity led to a whirlwind of speaking engagements, where he shared his experiences and the urgent need for missionary work in Africa. He championed the cause of Christ across Great Britain, calling for more missionary recruits among the unreached.

One of Moffat’s most impactful moments came during an evening service attended by a young David Livingstone in 1838. Moffat described standing on his verandah in South Africa, saying, “Many a morning have I stood on the porch of my house, surveying the landscape. In the vast plain to the north, I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages—villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world.”

These words struck a chord with Livingstone, reshaping his life’s goals. Initially aspiring to be a medical doctor, Livingstone was so moved by Moffat’s depiction of Africa, he abandoned his ambitions and joined Moffat in missionary work.

Moffat’s willingness to rely on God’s strength despite recognizing his inadequacies led to significant spiritual breakthroughs, catapulting a wave of missionary candidates to the harvest fields of the world. David Livingstone, the most notable of those who responded, opened the African continent to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Robert Moffat’s life and missionary service are reminders of how God uses weak and unassuming people to accomplish His purposes. If God could use Moffat, a “shy and diffident man” by nature (his son’s later description of his father), he could use anyone willing to listen to the Holy Spirit, change their perspectives, and embrace a mindset established on God’s promises.

Moffat became a spokesperson for God’s global mission despite his negative internal monologue, which he battled for a lifetime. He yearned for the salvation of souls and urged believers to share his desire. “Oh, that I had a thousand lives and a thousand bodies!” he said. “All of them should be devoted to no other employment but to preach Christ to these degraded, despised, yet beloved mortals.” As his voice thundered from the podium, telling of the smoke rising from a thousand villages, a wave of missionaries crossed the seas to deliver Gospel hope to God’s lost children.

– Personal Response –

Passage: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Point: A heart fixed on God’s mission sees past doubt to the beauty and urgency of reaching the lost.

Ponder: Do you see the “smoke of a thousand villages”—the many people living without Christ—and let it move you to action?

Prayer: Lord, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Help me to see the lost not as numbers but as souls You love and died to redeem. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Proclamation: I will not let self-doubt or fear silence my call. I will set my mind on things above and my feet on Gospel paths.

Practice: Write down the name of one unreached region or people group and pray daily for their salvation and for missionaries to be sent to them.

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