Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Ecclesiastes 11:1 AMP
This verse is saying that blessings will be returned to the person who is generous and hospitable. “Cast” means to send away; cast away; cast out; shoot forth; shoot away; sow; spread; stretch forth; stretch out. It implies an open hand and a flinging forth, which represents generosity – both in quantity and direction. Not being selective about who receives the blessing, but blessing many and diverse people. The “waters” you cast your bread onto are like the ocean waves that come in and go out. The blessings you send out, will return back to bless you. You may not see it come back immediately, but just keep on sowing, because undoubtedly, after a while, you will see them coming back your way. Even if you do not see anything coming back yet, keep on sowing, because your blessing is on its way back to you.
Give a portion to seven, yes, even [divide it] to eight, for you know not what evil may come upon the earth. Ecclesiastes 11:2 AMP
Seven or eight represents several or many people. Seven represents God’s number – the perfect number, an indefinite number. Eight is another step beyond that, so we are to give as much as we can – and then go one more step beyond that! Just when we think we do not have anything else to give, we find that we can do even more than that. We are to stretch ourselves out in our giving and the Lord will stretch Himself out for us. There are no guarantees in life; therefore, we must be prepared. We need to give bread (daily sustenance) to others, because we never know when we are going to be in need of bread ourselves. When we take care of others, He will take care of us in our hour of need. We cannot foresee any hard times that lie in our future, so we give and we bless others, so that no matter what the circumstance, the Lord will provide us with what we need. Even in the most adverse circumstances, He will fully meet our need.
If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. Ecclesiastes 11:3 AMP
This verse illustrates the certainty of God’s blessing. As surely as the clouds, full of rain, empty themselves upon the earth – so also your blessings will surely return to you. Just as in nature, they are regular cycles and seasons that can be counted upon, so is the man who casts his bread upon the waters – he will be blessed in due season. The tree lies where it falls – you cannot control everything – you need to trust God.
He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4 AMP
Just because life is uncertain does not mean we should do nothing. We cannot afford to be stingy or to give in to hopelessness. We need to move forward in a spirit of trust and faith, taking God at His word, both in what we do, and what we expect of Him. If we wait for all circumstances to be perfect before we act, we will remain inactive and unproductive. We cannot wait for conditions that may never exist. The man, who is governed by the uncertainty of the future, will not plant his seed nor harvest his crop. We cannot observe natural things, and let them dictate to us whether, or not, we obey God’s word. There is never a right or a wrong season to be a giver. No matter what your circumstance, it is time to give. You need the Lord to be your source and supply in all the circumstances of life, especially in the hard times. Therefore, your seasons of giving should be in the good times AND the hard times. As far as sowing goes: when the hard times come, do not withdraw your hand. That is the time to give like never before. As far as reaping goes: do not limit God. He does not only provide for you in the good times, but He provides for you, abundantly, even when times are bad and others are in lack. Trust Him to take care of you in all the seasons of life.
As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all. Ecclesiastes 11:5 AMP
If we cannot fully understand the infinite work of nature and natural things, how can we understand the works of Almighty God? We must trust Him – that He knows best – and we must trust His word, and obey it. You do not have to understand it in order to receive it. You just do your part and trust God to do His part.
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:6 AMP
Give as a lifestyle. Make giving both a habit and a priority. We have no control over the harvest. What we do have control over, is the sowing of our seed. Sow your seed in the morning; do not withhold your hand in the evening. Do not sow only when you need something specific. Give and do not stop giving. Do not put a “price” on your seed; do not categorize it. Do not consider one field better or worse than another one. You do not know which specific seed will produce, but the Father does. Just continue to sow and continue to put your faith in God. Just as you daily sow your seed, trust Him to meet your need and to take care of you, daily.
