Bread Upon Waters
Today’s Verse:
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. ~Ecclesiastes 11:1
By nature, we are stingy and greedy. Our sinful nature tends to only look out for itself. We are more likely to keep than to give away. We would rather retain our goods than part with them. Yet, in the Scriptures, we are encouraged repeatedly to have a spirit of generosity and giving. This morning, we want to consider the principle of sowing and reaping; of giving and receiving.
There is the food resource.
Bread is the staple of life. Bread is associated with our basic food resource. When we speak about “breaking bread,” we are referring to sharing a meal with another person. Bread is what is important for our survival. Our devotion this morning focuses on “thy bread.” This is something that is very personal. “Thy bread” has the connotation of my hard worked earnings, my precious possessions, my accumulated resources, my family treasures, and my future sustenance.
There is the fervent request.
We are exhorted to cast our bread upon the waters. We are being requested to do something that is not natural. We are being requested to give without hesitation or restriction. We are exhorted to give away. Someone has said that we are most like God when we are giving. Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” The idea of casting is to set aside and distribute. We are to give of what we have.
There is the faith reason.
“Cast thy bread upon the waters.” Waters, sometimes, has the meaning of the nations of the world. We are to give to help get the gospel to the people of the world. We are to get the gospel to every nation. Not everyone will be called to go, but everyone is called to give. Water can also refer to a source that makes a difference. It has the idea of giving by faith. It has the idea of allowing our gift or distribution to go much further when it is in God’s hands instead of our hands. The lad who gave his five loaves and two fishes was casting his bread upon the waters. He allowed the Lord Jesus to take his simple resources and do more with them than the lad could if he had just held on to them.
There is to be a frequent repetition.
Notice the emphasis is upon “the waters:” not just one body of water, but many bodies of water. Bread was to be cast into many different waters. We are encouraged to be perennial givers. We are encouraged to be repeat givers. Paul said of the churches at Philippi that they sent once and again.
There is the favorable reward.
“...For thou shalt find it after many days.” It’s not lost! It comes back to us! We find our life in what we cast on the water! We find our blessing in what we give away! We find our reward when we give by faith.
Be challenged to cast thy bread upon the waters. Remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Have a rewarding God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Judges 19-21