by J. Randal Matheny

At the office, the colleague just turns around and walks off when invited to church.

After the sermon, the whole church files out without a word of compliment to the preacher.

The special series of gospel lessons ends without a single response.

No results. Not a good feeling. The lack of results leaves us deflated, discouraged, or depressed.

Like the lady who called my wife yesterday to cancel our third Bible study. Somehow, we sensed a certain finality to the cancellation.

Man was created by a God who spoke "and it was so." The Lord always fulfills what he intends. My word, says God, "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11, NIV).

So we are not wrong to want and look for results. In fact, God wants results from our labors. He calls them "fruit."

But not every effort will be crowned with success. Not all preaching pricks the heart. Not all teaching makes converts or convicts of sin or lifts the fallen.

Has some flaw in the process or some failure on our part caused the lack of results?

We may indeed fail in many ways, but no results also is part of God's big picture.

After decades of preaching, righteous Noah saved only seven others -- his immediate family.

God told Jeremiah, before the prophet preached his first sermon, that the people would not listen.

Jesus instructed his disciples to shake the dust off their feet in cities where the message would not be well received.

No results has long been part and parcel of the righteous' experience.

In the midst of no results, God still will make his word effective. "My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please" (Isaiah 46:10). Even the stubborn-hearted will not delay his salvation (v. 11). In spite of rejection, the divine light will not dim.

So when my search for souls turns up no results, I need not get glum. I do need to remember to be faithful myself and to keep speaking the Word. Because somebody, somewhere, will heed the call of God and show the success of the gospel.

To his glory and honor.