The verse from Ecclesiastes has always fascinated me. The seemingly foolish task of throwing bread into the water, and it returning after a period of time seemed out of place. For the most part, it would seem that the fish or other aquatic life would have eaten the bread, so that there would not be anything to return. But according to ol' Solomon...the bread will return and you'll find it.
Put this in context of scripture and kingdom work, and what I think he is saying is that when you feed someone the "bread" of heaven...the word of God, you may not know who "eat's" of it and who doesn't. There is a trust that you have to have that causes you to be obedient, allowing God to work through what has been spoken to and over people. As a friend of mine use to say when I was teaching out at Rapha (a local drug and alcohol treatment center).."We have good seed to give people...what they do with it is between God and them." In other words, we are called to simply share the truth and good news about Jesus.
Well, with this in mind, I had some bread come back to me last night. I spoke over at Catalyst Recovery, and the message was well received. People came down to the front for prayer and do business with Jesus. After the meeting was over, as I was headed out, I spoke with several people. Some thanked me for the message. Others asking for prayer. As I neared the back door a lady came up wanted to know if she could as me a question, to which I replied, "Yes, of course".
She asked me if I use to speak at a meeting that was known as THE HOUSE OF BLUE. I replied that I had not only spoken there, but had started the meeting and was pastor over it. She began to share her story with me. She said that she could not remember what year it was, but that she and her husband had attended one time. Tears began to fill her eyes and she told me that she wanted to thank me because of the message I gave that night, she had been set free from darkness and oppression that had followed her around for years. She had been abused by her father, which only sent her down a path of darkness to escape the pain. On the particular night she came to the House of Blue, she told me that I had we did not have carry this burden and secret any longer. That Jesus was fully ready to take it from us if we would confess and release it to Him.
She went on to share how her husband had passed away in 2013, and that she was raising their five daughters. Life has been hard since his death, but she told me that she could not imagine life today if she'd not been freed from all the bondage she had been in. I asked if I could pray for her again, to which she heartily replied, "Yes!". So as we stood there together, God's Spirit came upon her and she received words of encouragement and grace. We parted company and as I walked out into the night to my car, I thought to myself, "God! You are just something else. You know that?" To grant me a gift...a token to let me know that something You said through me years ago had produced change and Fruit of Your Spirit in the life of someone who had no hope."
But that is how God is, isn't it?
I think maybe yes.
So this morning, I am a little encouraged that what we did years ago had some fruit to it in the lives of those who attended.
God on you...
mbb
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