Then David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.
Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there. David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD. “The LORD forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
1 Samuel 22:3–4 and 2 Samuel 23:13–17 (NLT)
After receiving the last letter from Joab, Jeruziah was able to convince David’s family to join him at Adullam. She herself was in another town with her husband. Not so long after, the Phistine occupied David’s hometown to raid the harvest. After three of David’s men galvanized the group, Joab wrote his mom…
Dear Mother,
As I sit by the flickering light of the campfire amidst the rugged terrain surrounding the Cave of Adullam, the cave that shelters us reverberates with the whispers of a looming battle. Yet, amidst the stern faces and sharpening of blades, a tender narrative of devotion unfolded that carved a profound imprint upon my heart.
It began with a mere whisper, a soft sigh that escaped Uncle David’s lips as he reminisced about the soothing coolness of Bethlehem’s water. Despite the distant murmurs of an enemy lying in wait, his warriors—now my brothers-in-arms—felt the nostalgic chords of his longing echo through the silence. There was no mandate, no rallying cry, just a soft yearning that echoed through the hearts of the Three, compelling them into action.
The first layer of devotion unveiled itself in their proximity to Uncle David—a proximity not of space but of spirit. Despite the cacophony of war, their attuned hearts heard the silent cry of longing that escaped Uncle David’s lips. They did not wait for a command; the sigh was enough. This closeness bore no semblance to servitude; it was the unspoken language of loyal hearts that resonated with the yearning of their leader.
As they ventured through the gates of death to fetch water from Bethlehem’s well, I saw the second veil of Devotion lifted. It was not a command that propelled them forward but a profound understanding of a longing. They moved through the veils of danger with a purpose that transcended the call of duty, their actions painting a vivid portrait of loyalty that hears the unspoken, that feels the gentle tug of a longing heart.
And then came the crescendo as they presented the water to David. His response was soul-stirring. As he poured the treasured water onto the barren earth, an offering to the Almighty, the essence of devotion soared to realms beyond mortal comprehension. It was a sacred communion, a profound realization that the highest form of Devotion finds its rightful place at the feet of God.
As the sun cast long shadows on the rugged terrain, the echoes of this act of devotion galvanized the hearts of the men in the cave. The veil of despair lifted, unveiling a horizon where courage reigned and hope soared on the wings of fidelity. As I gear up with my brethren to reclaim Bethlehem from the clutches of the enemy, a newfound allegiance courses through my veins. The silhouette of battle looms, yet within the heart of this storm, a silent resolve to embody the essence of devotion steels our spirits [1].
Tomorrow, the annals of time will be graced with a tale of unwavering loyalty that will echo through the corridors of eternity. As I pen down these words to you, a profound understanding of devotion nestles within my heart, a treasure I hold as we march into the morrow, with the banner of love, loyalty, and unwavering resolve billowing in the winds of destiny.
With a heart aflame with the fires of devotion,
Joab
Share with your friends “How do you understand Devotion, both to God and to man?”
[1] Although the Bible didn’t mention it, Tim Keller believes that the heroic action of The Three will turn the tide of any battle they were in.
(from Charles)
Devotion can be a great thing and can also be a terrible thing. When we devote ourselves to something over God that thing becomes an idol. But when we devote ourselves to God we can be great servants in the Kingdom of God. Devotion to man can be a good thing too as long as we understand that our devotion to man cannot take precedence over God. Devotion to man can be something that builds deep lasting friendships with others and in marriage can help us to build a relationship that lasts and flourishes. But in similar fashion, we must be careful to whom we devote ourselves. If we devote ourselves to the wrong person we can cause ourselves a lot of pain and suffering and be led to a place that we did not necessarily intend.
“How do you understand Devotion, both to God and to man?”
I think devotion is a commitment/ covenant. Through these passages I see unwavering devotion to God through David and devotion to man through the examples of the soldiers towards David. David had a close relationship with God, even speaking to him audibly. I think the men also witnessed David’s faithfulness to God. I think that’s how we see and learn through those who are mature or who are in authority. But people are sinful and fall short so Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of faithful devotion to God and to men. He obeyed God by coming to earth and not turning away from God or did not sin when things got tough. And for men, Jesus who was sinless died for us sinners even on the cross!
On the contrary Saul had people under him who were devoted to Saul. They told Saul where David was and even killed the priests, their family and animals. Was it out of fear or devotion? Were they aware that God had anointed David and God was with David?
I pray that God would grant us mercy and grace to guide us to be ultimately devoted to God. Give us humility, courage, wisdom, compassion and discernment to be used by you for your purposes.
Devotion to God is a precious time alone. A time to get to know him better. We get to learn more about him to be able to reflect his life and be more like Christ. It’s a full surrender to him. As for devotion to man, I would say is like having an idol almost. But it could just a complete like commitment to that. Where you put so much time and thought to it.
Combining today’s reading and last Sunday’s worship, devotion to God is something we should always do because Jesus cost his life to save us from sins. We can also devote ourselves to man unless we know that God is our priority. I found one common thing between devotion to God and to man, which is that the proximity of the spirit is a matter more than physical distance. Therefore, praying regularly is critical to nurture our spiritual connection, whether it’s with God or with our fellow human beings.
I believe that devotion is dedication and commitment towards something. In relation to God and man, I believe that devotion to God comes first, similarly to how the men were devoted to David, David didn’t drink the water and remained devoted to God in that choice.
Devotion to me seems like putting everything towards something so towards God you are giving your undivided attention and time to God revolving your life around him. When devoting time to man it to me sounds like you are willing to put your body on the line for this person and that you are doing this walk of life with this person.
In today’s reading we’re reminded about devotion to God and devotion to man. As Christians, we know that devotion to God is good. It leads us to a life giving path of righteousness and helps us grow in our faith and walk with Him daily. Devotion to man can be good if it aligns with God’s truth and love. It can also be harmful and destructive. This reminds me of the verse that talks about “where heart is there lies our treasure.” If our heart is devoted to spirit filled things-truth, love, kindness, and peace it can bear life. And the opposite is also true, if our heart is devoted to flesh filled things it can lead us to death.
From sister Rose
Devotion to me means loyalty and we see that repeated in the reading as well. Devoting oneself to others is loyalty to others and not just loyalty but guarding and putting oneself below the other. When we devote ourselves to someone, that means we give all of ourselves or a large part of ourselves to them. When we devote ourselves to God, we surrender ourselves to Him and when we surrender to God, we could and would be used by Him to serve and devote ourselves to others and be used to further is kingdom.