2 Samuel 23:16

A Precious Gift

He would not drink thereof, but poured it oat unto the Lord. 2 Samuel 23:16.

In past wars, the British awarded medals of honor to brave soldiers. America also has their own version of these honors. In World War I and World War II, families of soldiers were very proud when their loved one received a medal of honor. If you could say that your father or your brother or one of your best friends has got the Distinguished Conduct Metal (D.C.M.) or the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) or the Military Cross (M.C.) or highest of all honors the Victoria Cross (V.C.)

Today I want to tell you of three brave warriors of old who had the D.S.O. In the twenty-third chapter of second Samuel you will find two lists of those who were known as King David's “mighty men” Three of them won an honor equal to our V.C. and thirty of them received an honor equal to our D.S.O. The three V.C.'s did very gallant deeds, but it is not of them I want to speak today. It is of three out of the thirty D.S.O.'s I want to talk.

You will find in four little verses of this chapter the story of one of their finest deeds. They were followers of King David in the troubled days when Saul was still alive and David was leading the life of a hunted man. We are told the names of two Abishai and Benaiah but the name of the third we do not know.

At the time of the story David was at his favorite stronghold, Adullam. It was about twelve miles from his old home at Bethlehem. But Bethlehem was now in the hands of the Philistines, Israel's bitter enemies, and the town was filled with a Philistine garrison, while around it lay their outposts. David and his men four hundred or so in number were not strong enough to rid the town of the enemy but they did their best to worry and harass him by raids. Perhaps it was on his return from a raid on the Philistine hosts that David wished the wish that led to the famous adventure of today's sermon. It was high summer. The weather was scorching. The mountain torrents were dried up and water was scarce. Hot and tired and thirsty, David sighed aloud, “Oh for a drink of water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!”

Perhaps poor David was as much home-sick as thirsty when he longed for that drink. Probably he was remembering the days when he was a shepherd boy watering his sheep from the clear spring by the gate. He thought he saw himself a little boy quaffing long draughts of its cool water, and he sighed as much for the days that had been as for the water itself.

I don't suppose that David knew he had spoken aloud, but three of his soldiers heard the wish and the sigh. They adored their splendid young leader, and one and all they determined then and there that they would bring him a drink of that water though it should cost them their life. So they slipped away quietly, fought through the Philistine lines, filled a water bottle at the well by the gate, and fought their way back again. They arrived at Adullam no doubt spent and wounded, but they had the water safe. Imagine David's astonishment when he saw them and heard what they had done!

But David had a stronger feeling than astonishment. Do you know what it was? It was a feeling that the water which had almost cost those men their lives was sacred. To drink it, he felt, would be as if he were drinking their life-blood. He dared not drink it. It was so costly, so precious, there was but one thing to do with it. There was but one Person worthy of it, and that was God. So David poured it out as an offering to Jehovah.

I daresay the three men who had risked all to get that draught were a little disappointed when they saw the water sinking into the hot dry sand. But when David explained to them that he offered it to God because it was the finest gift he had ever been given and he felt unworthy of it, when David explained all that, I expect they went out from his presence very silently and thinking hard.

Boys and girls, David gave to God the most precious thing he had. What sort of gift do we give Him? Let me tell you two stories of what people give to God. The first is the story of an old man; the second is the story of a young girl.

The old man had come to the end of his life and he was making his will and disposing of his possessions. He was a farmer, so he had much in the way of live stock to divide among his sons and daughters. Suddenly he remembered that one of his cows was amissing, so he said, “If that lost cow is found give it to my youngest son, but if it is not found, let it be for God.” All he was willing to give to God was what cost him nothing.

The other story comes from a mission station in Africa. It was Christmas Day, Christ's birthday, and on that day the natives brought with them to the mission house a gift for Christ. They were very, very poor, and their presents were mostly a handful of vegetables, or a little fruit. Those who brought a copper coin were accounted wealthy indeed.

Among the givers was a girl of sixteen who had very lately been converted from savagery. She stole forward timidly, and from the folds of her dress she drew out a silver coin of the value of 85 cents. It was a fortune for one in her position, and for a moment the missionary hesitated to take it; but to avoid a scene he accepted it without remark. Later he sought out the girl and asked her how she had been able to offer such a princely gift. With shining eyes she told him the secret. In order to bring to Jesus a gift worthy of His love for her and worthy of her love to Him, she had gone to a neighboring planter the previous day and had bound herself to him as a slave for life in return for the silver coin She gave herself and all her life to Christ in that one grand act. It was the most, and she felt it was the least, she could give.

Boys and girls, what do we give to Christ? Is it the old man's gift of less than nothing? Is it the slave girl's gift of our lives and ourselves?