Jeremiah 20:9, “Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name. But His word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”
I have studied the lives of some of the great missionaries from bygone days, but in my mind, none are greater than Hugh and Louise Skelton. Their lives impacted the world not only while they were living, but will continue until the end of time. Millions of people came to know Jesus because of the work they started. I was blessed to be their friend.
The United States still leads the world in sending out missionaries, but the latest data I read says other nations are now sending missionaries to us. In 2024, that number was 38,000 missionaries. Imagine, 38,000 missionaries coming to America. We are becoming one of the world’s largest mission fields.
According to a recent poll, 43% of Americans say they have never been to church. That’s hard to believe. Another poll said 33%. Over 4,000 churches close their doors every year. While the need is still great for people like Hugh and Louise who will go to other nations, we live in the middle of the largest English-speaking mission field in the world. The mission field begins right outside our doors.
The United States is not as accepting of Christianity as it was a few years ago. Like Jeremiah, we sometimes grow weary. Jeremiah had reached the point where he didn’t even want to mention the Lord’s name anymore, but in his next breath he said, “But His word was in my heart, like a burning fire shut up in my bones. I cannot hold it back.”
I pray that same fire will burn in our bones. There is a lost and dying world all around us that needs to know Jesus. We can make a difference. The darker the night, the brighter the light.
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