Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters

by Richard Fila

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Ecclesiastes 11:1, ESV

It`s a joy and a privilege, but more than that, a necessity for us Christians to take risk.

Risk is the only medium through which we can have faith. And faith is what pleases God. Without it, it is impossible to please Him.

‘And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him’ (Hebrews 11:6).

Sometimes we get stuck in our discipleship walk. We take strides, we receive healing, and grow in intimacy with God. But somehow things plateau a bit and we find ourselves flying a bit of a holding pattern around the victories God has brought into our lives thus far.

The only way forward in our discipleship journey is to take risk. Emotional risk, financial risk, relational risk, physical risk - or whatever else God calls us to step out in. There has to be a stepping out, an exposure, a putting up of collateral through which God will command a blessing. We sacrifice our natural world security, comfort, familiarity, and offer it to God on the altar. And when we do, fire falls from heaven and our world is changed.

Just as in the feeding of the five thousand, God took a seed of the natural world in the form of the five loaves and two fish, and by His power multiplied it into the bounty that fed so many. But it required the seed from us. The boy had to offer what he had, and to take the risk that the food supplies he had to secure his needs while he was out on the road would be gone, leaving him with nothing. It’s not that God needed the physical foodstuffs. It’s rather the heart offering, the sacrifice, which made that food the spiritual collateral which sparked the fire of His heart and commanded the blessing therein.

God is faithful and cannot deny Himself. So, when we make a sacrifice to Him on the altar, be sure He will act. He never fails, never mis-hears or ignores, but rather waits in joy to pour His bounty out on us and the world in which we’re living.

Jesus also teaches us about taking risk in the parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25. The two servants, who invest what they have, bear fruit, and are rewarded. But the servant who takes no risk and hides his talent away is scorned. More than that, what talent or victory he had already was taken away from him.

So, by way of challenge, what risk is God calling you to take in your life today? This isn’t recklessness. It’s an act of faith and obedience in sacrifice to your God. Playing it safe is going to do nothing except waste your time – the one asset you can never get more of. So, don’t bury the opportunities God is giving you today. Don’t allow fear or insecurity, or even just comfort and familiarity, to stop you from progressing more into Him and His perfect will for your life. He will come through. He will do it. He will lead you and guide you in ways beyond what you’ve imagined. He will be ahead of you in every situation. He knows everything and works everything to your good and edification.
Trust Him today and you will not be disappointed.

Prayer: Father God, thank You that You’re intimately involved with my life. Thank You that You create opportunities for me to grow and blossom. Lord, I don’t want to miss out on those opportunities. Please make me a risk-taker for You. Let every obstacle to that fall away in Jesus’ name. Let me know courage in my heart, even the smallest seed of courage, to step out in following You. I agree with Your Spirit, Lord, which testifies that You will come through for me, not just for other people, but for me. Lord, I love You and I choose to trust You. Help me to trust You more. May I be a blessing to Your heart today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Richard Fila first came to know Ellel Ministries at Ellel Grange in 2006 and went on to attend the NETS programme at Ellel Pierrepont. He works in IT & Finance and continues to be involved with the ministry in the areas of technology and worship.

 

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