2 Samuel 23:16–17: “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. And he said, ‘Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?’ Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.”

July 2nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

This chapter records the names of David’s mighty men and recounts some stories about them. One story is from David’s exile, when he had to flee King Saul who was trying to kill him. In these verses, 3 of David’s men overheard him longing for water from the well of Bethlehem, where he was born and grew up. It was probably a scorching, dusty, midsummer day as David remembered the cool water from the village well of his youth. Since David had been a shepherd, we can assume he had often stopped his herd of sheep at this well. He was probably also a little homesick when he thought of it. Certainly he had not given orders for his men to bring him water from that well, nor had he intended for anyone to be prompted by his words to attempt to get him some. But these 3 brave men took his longing seriously and broke through enemy lines to draw water for David from the well of Bethlehem. They then marched back to bring it to him. It must have been 25 miles or more, round trip.

Because David’s men brought him water at the risk of their own lives, he considered it to precious to drink himself and instead poured it out as an offering to God. This was David’s way of saying, “Only God is worthy of this kind of sacrifice.” This gives yet another insight into the life of this “man after God’s own heart.” David held his men in such high esteem that it is no wonder these “bad guys” of Israel loved their king.

We serve the King of kings who, even more than David, holds every single person in the highest esteem possible. We have such value in our heavenly Father’s eyes that He paid the most expensive ransom ever paid for the life of a human being—His Son. Jesus Christ died a horrible death on the cross on our behalf. Therefore, the most valuable thing in the whole world is your life and mine!

“LORD, we worship at the foot of the cross by which You redeemed us all.”