Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 ESV
The truth about saying too much about myself.
We have been running GetAlongWithGod.com for over three and half years now. Jennifer and I have taken point on this blog and often we have to produce a post every other day. It can be taxing because the deadlines just keep coming and coming. I have really wanted to be faithful to our commitment to produce daily posts, and for the most part we have. Sure, there are some days that are more “on” than others, but that is just the nature of the beast.
Get Along With God is a disciples’ blog. It’s the daily discovering of our amazing God as we walk out our lives with Him. We’re discovering a God worth knowing as we gaze at Him. And just as with any relationship, there are days of ebb and days of flow. Some days we’re learning, others we’re stretching, sometimes we’re mulling over or waiting, and some days we’re just enjoying Him. It’s the joy of getting to know God.
Producing: Cast your bread upon the waters
One of the dynamics of doing a daily blog is producing content. Now because we’re getting to know God, this content is at a surplus. For all of eternity, we will be getting to know God. There’s not going to be a day when we all of a sudden say, “I know all there is to know about God.” This “getting to know” is forever! I am created in His image but as He shows me daily, my actual understanding is very small. I am frail and limited, to say the least. So though I’m learning about the Infinite God, I’m taking it all in with a finite brain.
One of the fears I have is exposing too much of myself because of the necessity to produce a post. God has shown His faithfulness to cover me in this and I have also learned something about humanity. I’ll probably never expose myself too much. Why? Because, in essence, people hear what they want to hear, not necessarily what is said. And I’m never going to be able to change that dynamic.
Do They Care? Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters!
I recently read a rather cynical quote: “Never tell anyone your problems – 20% don’t care and the other 80% are glad you have them.” I don’t believe that is true of this blog. It’s my earnest belief that many of the people who read us are truly searching for a God worth knowing. Having said that, the reality is that we are only able to see what God reveals. I couldn’t expect someone from Japan to understand why we do things the way we do it here in the USA. Their living experience is completely different, so they don’t see it the way we do and vice versa. Our perspectives are the glasses through which we see life. My experience colors how I see everything presented to me. You could tell me something, which is very plain and simple to you, yet to me it’s quite the contrary. That’s the power of perspective.
So with this in mind, I always present my posts as clearly and faithfully as possible. Beyond that, I have no control over what people will read or receive. Even with my best intentions, I have no guarantee that someone will understand something as it’s been revealed to me. This is why I will never expose myself too much. People hear through their own grid and what they want to. The point I make may not be the point they receive.
The Spirit: Cast your bread upon the waters
This is fine. The Spirit is our teacher, counselor, and guide. I attempt to faithfully present what He is giving me, but when all is said and done, I have to follow this: “cast your bread upon the waters.” I can have no expectation of anyone’s positive response. It’s none of my business what people receive from this blog; it is God’s! As far as revealing too much of my actual heart, it is God’s to cover me, and the average Joe reader might not care anyway. This is the reality. Most people don’t care much and probably aren’t supposed to. We’re a self-consumed bunch.
If someone reads this blog and doesn’t like it, they’ll just leave and visit one of the thousands of others being published every day. I would love to think that people enjoy how Christ reveals Himself to me as much as I do, but unless He reveals Himself to them through what I’m saying, they’ll just mosey along to another blog where He does.
I say all this to express that I understand the reality at play here on this blog. I’m committed to faithfully share what He wants to say through me, and however much or little my heart is exposed is entirely the Spirit’s leading and responsibility.
John, I love your blog’s! It is so refreshing to see you really seeking God & finding Him in this day. God bless you brother! You greatly encourage me in Jesus!
All of you writing this blog speak LOUDLY to me almost everyday. I hear the Spirit coming through teaching me or helping me to see my own life more clearly in all that is shared. There are times I wish more was exposed to better understand the point being made. I know then I will have to rely on the Holy Spirit to make things crystal clear. I now what you share is Truth. Thank you for shepherding each one of us. Writing this blog is a labor of love and obedience. I have often wondered how you do it… Read more »
Thank you Shulamite for your faithfulness to speak His truth and love. Thank you for sharing from the treasure He gives you. Thank you for speaking of the cross and it’s glorious, Life breathing necessity.
Shulamite IS Bread upon the water for me…Thank you all for letting the Lord live, breathe, speak and love through you.
The Lord Himself cast the bread upon the waters, with wonders and marvels among the people, with heavenly words undisputed, forgiving sins and casting demons out, healing the Land and throwing Satan the accuser out of Heaven forever… He gave this same power to them twelve… and at the end seemingly only two were with Him at Annas’s home at His worst hour ever (Mt 26:57, Jn 18:15). Why should it be different today at any level? Hundreds of millions, countless as the stars, can be touched of Him… but there is only 1/10th coming back to thank Him… and… Read more »
Right on. Amen 🙂