“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Prov. 18:10).
I remember my father saying to me once when I had failed to do something. I cannot remember what it was at all, but I remember him saying to me, “A day late and a dollar short.” Well, here we are on Wednesday, and I am just now getting to my Monday Musings. I briefly thought I’d get something out yesterday and call it Tuesday Trifles, but that would have been self-defeating. So I thought I’d try Wednesday Wisdom. And what better place to find wisdom that in the book of Proverbs.
Most of us can fondly remember leaving the front door unlocked, car unlocked in the driveway with the keys in the ignition, or taking a stroll down a dark alleyway, all the while unworried and unafraid. Now, the reality of those times is that there was still crime, and bad things still happened to people. But for many of us we were blissfully unaware of any danger.
Fast forward to 2022, and we would never think of doing any of the above. If we leave home, we might sit and fret over whether we remembered to lock the front door. Some of us have even made our homes “smart,” so that I can make sure the doors are locked, lights are on, garage door is closed, etc. I can use the camera on my doorbell to check on any packages that may have been left there as well.
The reality for all of us is that as we walk through this world, there are times when we have to wonder about our safety. We live in a wicked and ungodly world – and in it there are those who would do us harm. One thing I am thankful for is that I don’t have the same worries when it comes to suffering persecution for my faith. This is true far more in countries where persecution is tolerated and encouraged by the government and by leaders of false religions. But regardless of what we might fear, the question arises quite regularly: Are we safe in the Lord?
Solomon knew that indeed the godly man IS safe! He knew it not just because of a theory that he had heard – but because of true stories shared with him by his father, David. David knew personally that the name of the Lord was a strong tower because he had faced extremely dangerous situations throughout his life. He had turned to the Lord again and again when things became very dangerous for him. He had faced enemies who laid in wait for him outside his home – planning to kill him. He had faced armies whose desire it was to destroy Israel and enslave its people. He faced personal threats from people. Yet in all this he knew that the name of the Lord is a strong tower – a place of safety into which the righteous can run.
God’s name represents more than just something we call him – it represents Who He is. He is YHWH – the self-existent One. Again, most of us grew up with the King James, and that was spelled out as Jehovah. Whenever we see “LORD” in our Bibles, it is this name the One who spoke to Moses in the burning bush and said, “I AM WHO I AM.” For God is I AM.
But that name is attached to other names – ones that offer promises to us. He is YHWH-Jireh, “theLord provides.” And he did provide a Lamb, one who would save his people from their sins. He is YHWH-Sabaoth, the Lord of the armies of heaven. He is “the Lord our righteousness. This he accomplished in the sending of his only-begotten Son, who, as the Lamb of God, would take upon himself our sin, and through repentance and faith, would give us his righteousness. That is why the Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus when he said to them, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:19-20) And so he is YHWH-Shalom, “the Lord of peace.” He has brought us peace with God, which we so desperately needed after we stood in enmity with him because of our sinfulness.
Truly his name is a strong tower to which we can run and find shelter in whatever situation we face. May we be wise and run to him with all that we face in life – trusting him to deliver us from all our fears and all our trials.