Born in Blantyre, Scotland on March 19th, 1813, David Livingstone would become one of the most notable explorer’s in our modern day. Livingstone travelled some 29,000 miles in Africa, crossing the Continent on multiple occasions. He discovered Victoria Falls, as well as four very important lakes, vital for survival. In his time exploring, and evangelizing Africa, he added to the known portion of the world about one million square miles. There was much more to Livingstone then just his exploits crossing the Continent of Africa, and mapping the previously unexplored regions of South Central Africa. Livingstone’s main goal was to reach the lost peoples of Africa with the Light of Jesus Christ. The reason he was trekking through the interiors of Africa was to find more peoples that had not heard of Christ, as well as to find year round water sources in which to establish full time Mission Stations for the furthering of the gospel. The words of Robert Moffat were used by the Lord to call Livingstone to Africa to be a light to those who were in darkness. Moffat in an address said,
“I have sometimes seen in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been.”
Livingstone would go to Africa to search out those thousand villages and then another thousand villages after that to share the love of Christ. He would go on to have great success in abolishing the slave trafficking that was taking place in Luanda, and other parts of Central Africa. It wasn’t an easy task though. The death of his sons, his wife, and his friends would add to the “sufferings of Christ” that Livingstone would endure. He was daily plagued by fevers, attacked by frightened tribes, and had run out of food and water on countless occasion. But still throughout all of these things, he continued for the Lord. His favorite verse, and the verse that the Lord comforted him on so many occasions was
Matt 28:20 “And lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Livingstone served the Lord tirelessly, and on the morning of May 4th, 1873, he was found praying on his knee’s, dead in this world, but alive in the presence of his Master.
What a challenge to my faith is the life of David Livingstone. I pray that his story would be used by the Lord to touch your life, and to give you strength to live for Him, and for His glory among the unreached, no mater what the cost.
For a great read on Livingstone, check out this link. #mce_temp_url#