“The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.“
In ancient times, when an enemy attacked a city, people would often flee to a fortified tower. With thick stone walls, a secure entrance, and a position high above the surrounding area, a strong tower offered protection when danger came.
Imagine being out in the fields when you see an enemy army approaching. You know you cannot outrun them forever, and you certainly cannot defeat them on your own. But in the distance, you see the city’s strong tower.
That’s where you run.
Proverbs uses this picture to describe the name of the Lord.
Notice that it doesn’t say the righteous person is strong enough to defeat every enemy. Sometimes we imagine that a strong Christian can stand up to everything and win every battle on His own. No, here it says to run to the Lord for safety.
There’s an important difference.
We spend a great deal of our lives trying to make ourselves secure. We save money for emergencies, buy insurance, lock our doors, and make plans to protect ourselves and the people we love. These are generally wise things to do and there are other proverbs which would commend us for doing them.
But no matter how carefully we prepare, we cannot protect ourselves from everything.
Where do you turn when you discover that you’re not as secure as you thought?
Proverbs tells us to run to the name of the Lord.
In Scripture, God’s name is more than a label. To run to God’s name is to run to Him. His name reveals who He is. When God revealed His name to Moses, He also revealed Himself as merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6).
That’s the God to whom we run.
And we know Him even more fully through Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God has come to us to rescue us from enemies we could never defeat ourselves: sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus didn’t accomplish that rescue by keeping Himself safely behind the walls of a fortress. He went to the cross, where He suffered and died for us. Then He rose from the dead, defeating death and securing eternal life for all who trust in Him. He did that to save us and create the strongest tower of all.
Because of Jesus, we have a refuge that even death cannot destroy.
Now, that doesn’t mean Christians are protected from every earthly hardship. The enemy still comes and attacks. Faithful believers still get sick, lose jobs, suffer injustice, and experience grief. Sometimes God allows us to go through the very troubles we pray He would spare us from.
But those troubles cannot separate us from His love. Even when our earthly security crumbles, God’s promises remain. If our God has already defeated death, we have nothing to fear.
There’s something else worth noticing about this proverb. A strong tower doesn’t do much good to someone who refuses to enter it.
We can know all about God’s promises and still spend our days relying entirely on ourselves. We can believe that God hears prayer and yet turn to Him only after exhausting every other possibility.
God invites us to come to Him. Bring Him your fears, your worries, and the situations you cannot control. Listen to His promises in His Word. Remember that through Christ, you belong to Him.
Whatever you may be facing today, you don’t have to face it on your own.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
Run to Him.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being my refuge and strength. Forgive me for the times I have trusted more in my own abilities, plans, and resources than in You. When I face troubles that are beyond my control, remind me of Your promises and draw me closer to You. Thank You especially for sending Jesus to rescue me from sin and death. Help me to find my security not in the things of this world, but in Your unfailing love and the eternal life You have given me through Christ.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
