15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.
2 Samuel 23:15-16
When David longed for the water from the well of Bethlehem, he knew it would be difficult to get it. In fact, I don’t think David was expecting anybody to go. He just longed or desired very passionately that he could drink from the well of Bethlehem and his men risked their lives and brought what he needed. If the Bible says they went to get water, I want to assume three men won’t go and get just a cup of water; they must have gotten at least a jerry can. The water David’s mighty men brought was sufficient, so David could have drank some, and poured out the rest unto the Lord. Alternatively, he could even have left it there to massage his ego saying, “Look at what these mighty men brought for me. See the water that men risked their lives to give to me. It means that they still regard me as king, so my popularity is not completely gone.”
However, they brought the water and even though he longed for it passionately, he poured it out to the Lord. In effect, he gave out what he needed so much. He gave out what was his greatest need at that time. It means David remained thirsty. It means David put God first even at the risk of “hurting the feelings” of his beloved mighty men.
Today, some preachers get into ministry not expecting the kind of success that they eventually achieve. They never thought in their wildest dreams that they could get there. Instead of lying down before God, in thanksgiving and saying, “God, look where you have brought me from,” they turn to careless sin and become terrorists to their sheep and begin to lust after young innocent girls in the church. That’s not what God wants. We are to be shepherds to the sheep not butchers of the sheep. We are to lay down our lives and put God first.
Confession:
Father, I can give You what I need. Nothing I have is too precious to give to You, because who I am and all I have, I owe to You.
