Reading: II Samuel 23 – 24
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men(II Sam. 23:15-17).
And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth (I Sam. 17:49). One stone. One small stone let fly from a slingshot transformed an unknown shepherd boy into a national hero (18:5-7). From that point onward, throughout his long service to God, David was a mighty man of war (I Chr. 28:3) whose very presence commanded the respect of those around him (I Sam. 22:1-2).
Yet despite all of this, David was a humble man. He knew God was the author of all his victories and the source of all his strength. Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto (II Sam. 7:18)? Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all (I Chr. 29:11). David did not take the loyalty of the men under his command for granted; he accepted their service in God’s name, understanding that it was to Him that their loyalty truly belonged.
Scripture does not clarify a timeline for the vignette of loyalty in today’s reading. Perhaps it occurred early on when David was on the run from Saul and first sought refuge in the cave of Adullam. Or it could have been later during one of his various battles after he’d assumed the role of king of all Israel. Whatever the time frame, a weary David made a wistful comment of longing for a remembered comfort of his youth. Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem. His words were in no way a request or a command, but the three mighty men who overheard them immediately acted to fulfill his desire. They acted out of love and loyalty to a man they respected above all others; the desire to see his needs met meant more to them than their own lives. When they returned with the water from the Bethlehem well, David recognized it for the gift that it was. Rather than accepting it as his due or chastising them for their reckless behavior, David forwarded their gift to the only One worthy of their heartfelt loyalty and sacrifice. Through their selfless love of David, they illuminated the glory of God.
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me(Matt. 25:40).
Thought For Today:It is wrong to take God’s gifts for granted, but the greatest danger to our faith comes from taking credit for these gifts ourselves.
Christ Revealed:Through the silver which David used to purchase the threshingfloor upon which he built . . . an altar unto the Lord (II Sam. 24:24-25).
Word Studies:23:10 clave = clung; spoil = plunder, loot; 23:13 chief = foremost, captains; 23:14 hold = stronghold, fortification; 24:10 heart smote him = heart bothered him; 24:14 a great strait = great distress, difficulty; 24:16 stay now thine hand = do no more.
Pray For Staff:Ryan McCrary • Country: Lebanon (4,131,583) in the Middle East • Major Languages: Arabic, French, English, Armenian • Limited religious freedom • 59.7% Muslim; 39% Christian; 1.3% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Intercede fervently in prayer for others (James 5:16).
Optional ReadingActs 21