Homemade Ice Cream

“Go and teach all nations…”, Jesus said to His disciples.  Evangelism should be an integral part of our walk as believers.  But it can be very disheartening!  As I walked this morning, I began praying for those I long to know Christ.  Frustration mounts as I pray, for some of these I have been praying a long time and I see no results.   Seeing no results does not negate the work.  As I prayed, I told God how frustrated I am not being successful.  But I know and I prayed that it is His Work not mine.  His Holy Spirit is the Mover, the Instigator, the Power.  God never said for us to save them.  He tells us to teach them.  I think of all the people I’ve talked to that still walk in darkness.  I thought of all the people great preachers preach to Sunday after Sunday that do not respond.  I thought of all the missionaries giving their entire lives for the gospel that see little conversion.

I read an autobiography of a man named David Brainard.  He poured out his young life to the American Indians and saw very little results.  The book was depressing and yet it has encouraged me many times because David loved Jesus with all his heart and the results did not hinder his passion.  He obeyed the call, persevered and left it up to God.

As I battled with these thoughts in prayer, I began to give up my angst to the Power of the Spirit.  The prayer time was intense because it became a hard battle.  With that and the heat index, I began sweating and thinking of homemade ice cream.  And I remembered times of making that wonderful treat.  There were a few times the ice cream stayed runny.  Why?  Because we forgot to put in the dasher.  That thought led to the hand-crank, turning, turning, turning for an hour and a half.  How utterly frustrating to finish such a labor to find it was in vain.   I know earthly illustrations break down but I could not resist the thought:  the Holy Spirit is the "dasher".  We can crank and crank and crank but for all our effort, nothing solid will occur without the movement of the dasher.  I repeat: seeing no results does not negate the work.  We teach, lead, live godly, working hard as though it depends on us BUT praying hard, knowing that it all depends on Him.
"and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  Romans 5:5