Proverbs
18 A Strong Tower
The name of the Lord is a strong tower the
righteous run to it and are safe v 10
Last
summer we visited a Citadel which had provided the inhabitants of the island
with safety against enemy attack over hundreds of years, The Bible has much to
say about the Lord being our Citadel or our Strong Tower. King David writes The Lord is my rock my fortress and my
deliverer my God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my fortress refuge in times
of trouble. Psalm 18 v2.
The name of the
Lord means the Lord himself. His name expresses his nature and qualities
‘I am who I am’ (Ex 3 14 -15) He is strong and mighty The Almighty God,
Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the Faithful one.
‘The
righteous run to it’, as followers of Jesus we are righteous not because of
anything we have done, but because of Christ. We can run to him on all
occasions and in all circumstances. In the midst of life’s most challenging
times He is our rock, our strong tower, our refuge, and place of complete
safety.
The story is told that in 1898 the Rev Toplady
was out walking in Burrington Coombe near Cheddar Gorge and was overtaken
by a thunderstorm. He hid in a cleft in the limestone rock to shelter from
the storm, and it was whilst he was there that wrote the well known hymn ‘Rock
of Ages cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee.’
Whatever
storms face us today let us be quick to run to God, knowing that he is the Rock
of Ages our Strong Tower and a place of refuge.
(husband and wife)