Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters Eccl. 11:1  CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

In Ecclesiastes 11:1 we see a great verse concerning the ministry. You may not think of yourself as in the ministry but if you are saved you are in the ministry. For example families are a great ministry. You might be a Sunday School teacher or helper, you might sing in the choir, lead the music, run the sound board or maybe your just a prayer warrior. All of these are ministries and if you will cast your bread upon the water you will find it after many days.

In the first part of the verse we see some characteristics of ministry.

1)  Cast – This represents work.

2)  Thy – this represents the personal involvement and sacrifice found in the ministry.

3)  Bread – this represents the substance you put into the ministry.

4)  Waters – this represents the uncertainty of the ministry (by this we mean we have no idea how God will use or if he will use what we do in the ministry)

In Daniel 1:3 we see that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were from the seed of the king of Judah before the Captivity. Now we know how Daniel purposed in his heart to serve God. We know how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood faithful in spite of the fiery furnace. We know how Daniel survived the lion’s den and went on to serve under many Kings and write the book of Daniel. This is all because somewhere someone cast their bread upon the waters

With this in our minds let us look at the verses in Ecclesiastes 11:1-9 and glean some thoughts on the ministry.

1) You can’t do too much (verse 2)

2)  Minister where you are (verse 3)

3)  Don’t look at the obstacles (verse 4)

4)  It is God’s work and you can’t figure it out (verse 5)

5)  It is all based on faith (verse 6)

6)  There will be good days and bad days (verse 7,8)

7)  Judgment will come (verse 9)

Now going back to Daniel who could have possible been someone that cast bread upon the water to Daniel. Jeremiah was a prophet before the king of Judah when Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were young. They probably watched all the times he stood before the king and gave the word of God. Even if they did not believe him he still made an impression on them. Note what Daniel is reading after all the years of serving in Babylon. He is reading the prophesy of Isaiah (Daniel 9).

Now just like us Jeremiah wanted to quit (Jeremiah 20:9), but he kept going. He just kept casting his bread upon the water and it paid great dividends later. You never know if the next Daniel is in your home or in your Sunday School class or maybe even just on your prayer list. So just keep casting your bread upon the waters for you shall find it after many days.