13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
What blessing has been like “water from the well of Bethlehem” for you? Something positive in your life that you have been longing for and suddenly you were blessed by it … is it love? a friendship? money or a job? or maybe a spiritual blessing? Maybe its nothing recent or temporary. Maybe its more permanent, like a physical or character trait or talent that you have been blessed with. Regardless of what the blessing is, have you taken it and hoarded it simply to satisfy yourself? If you have, then you can’t pour it out “to the Lord.” (vs. 16) You can never set apart for God something that you desire for yourself to achieve your own satisfaction. If you try to satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you. You must sacrifice it, pouring it out to God — something that your common sense says that you shouldn’t do.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’
I’m sure you’re asking, “How can I pour out ‘to the Lord’ a physical or spiritual blessing?” There is only one way — you must make a determination to give of your blessing freely. You did not “earn” this blessing – and likely someone made a sacrifice in order for you to receive this blessing. As soon as you realize that something is too wonderful for you, that you are not worthy to receive it, and that it is not meant for you at all, you must give freely of it. Then these very things that have come to you will be poured out as “rivers of living water” all around you. Until you pour these things out to God, they actually endanger you, because they will be turned into lust. Yes, we can be lustful in things that are good by nature.
If you have become bitter and closed off in your life it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it, you lusted over it. But if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything “to the Lord,” other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you. So POUR OUT YOUR BLESSINGS and allow living waters to flow from you.
Credit:
Portions of this devotion were inspired by the daily devotions of My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Learn more about Oswald Chambers and get his daily devotions at https://utmost.org/