Safe!

Safe!

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 18:10 KJV

Context and Charge:

God does not do guesswork, or make empty boasts. When he speaks, his name, reputation and integrity are at stake, so when he speaks, all of who He is become the focus. We all know the power in a name; there is a spiritual dimension to what we call ourselves or our children. The same applies to God here; He has many names, but the same God. No matter the point at which I encounter God, he reveals himself to me as the Lord. Being the Lord means that every other thing submits to his power and authority. What name backs me up? Do I know this God as Lord? 

The name of the LORD is presented as a strong tower. In the days of the psalmist, having such towers was a sign of strength. You could see trouble coming miles away and warn the city. It was situated in a place where it could not be attacked directly. The person manning the tower had to be alert and on guard. Like all men, tiredness and sleep could be a challenge, but we speak here of a Lord who neither slumbers nor sleep. He is the tower, the guard, the watchman and the protection all at the same time. It's a strong one, not an ordinary one. With God, you get the extra, not just the ordinary. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

This tower is a place to run into. It offers protection and safety from danger, but it seems to only keep those who run into it. You can't stay outside it and expect to be kept safe. You cannot come in on your own terms, but in line with the dictates of the One who offers the protection. The righteous have come to know and submit to this Lord, and that is why they can run into Him. Why run? The devil too will fight to keep us outside, where sin and death thrives. He will do all he can to offer empty alternatives, but if it is not in the LORD, you are not really safe. 

Have I come to the saving knowledge of Jesus? Is He my Lord and Saviour? Am I daily depending on the grace and mercy of God available in Jesus? Those are the attributes of someone who knows that the Lord is the only way to be safe. The world has no answer to the troubles of its own creation; only in God am I truly safe. He is a tower that offers protection for life, both down here and in eternity with God. Each gives what he has: life from God and death from the devil. So, run into God today. Don't wait for trouble to overwhelm your heart. In Him are all that I need for life and Godliness. God's time of favour is here.