No Greater Love

705 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:15-17, “ 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. 17 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.” Imagine yourself as one of the three here, who risked life and limb to bring David a drink of his precious water from Bethlehem. You hand the flask over to him and wait in eager anticipation to see the enjoyment on his face as he takes a long draft of this precious water. But then he simply takes it and pours it out on the ground, and says “this is for You Lord!” What? That's how you show your gratitude to us David? Yes it is! He was basically saying “Guys this is so awesome it belongs to God rather than me!” As he pours out the water unto the Lord, he acknowledges the fact that these men were willing to risk it all for the sake of their love of another. This incident should cause us to reflect on the words of Jesus concerning greater love. Joh 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. This is the love of Jesus and the kind of love He desires to awaken in us. Jesus is our greatest friend. He laid down His life for us, and now we ought to lay down our life for Him. We love Him (lay it down for Him) because HE first loved us (Laid it down for us.) Ro 12:1says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Jesus, you poured out Your life for me, help me to learn to pour my life out for others. Let me like Paul understand what it is to be poured out in the service of faith. ( Php 2:17)