The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. -Proverbs 18:10
I had a great fear of the dark as a child. That isn't unusual for children of course, but my fear seemed, at least to me, particularly acute. I got a fair amount of ribbing from some older brothers, but it was mostly gentle; I think they could see that it was troubling and embarrassing for me. I can remember convincing myself during the bright daytime hours while sitting in my room that tonight would be the night that I would look into the darkness and be full of courage. But alas, when evening came and we went to bed my fears crept back in, and as soon as my brothers were fast asleep, I knew that once again I was alone to face my fears. The door to our attic, which lay deceptively close to my room, just down the long hallway, around a corner and through the bathroom (in other words, not so close actually) was particularly frightening to me. I was absolutely convinced that it kept back, by its flimsy wood and cheap lock, some of the most notorious monsters known to inhabit the nightmares of human beings. I uttered many a prayer in those dark nights, but low and behold, at dawn's light the fears were gone and the attic door became just one more doorway in our home; the exit point not for monsters, but the entry point to ping pong, pool, and a world of old books.
There is nothing like morning to chase away the fears of the night, and there was nothing like a strong tower in ancient Israel to comfort the hearts of those who dwelt in a city without defensive walls. It was to the tower that the inhabitants would run when an enemy drew near. They might pillage and burn, but the people would remain safe within the tower until help arrived. It was a refuge in times of trouble, far more capable of providing safety than even the door to the attic in my home (or the blankets I cowered under). God is our rock and our fortress, a bulwark in times of trouble. At his name the enemy flees and our hearts are strengthened.
As we continue through our Lenten season, preparing for our celebration of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it is good for us to be reminded that the only reason the righteous have any place to run is due to the work of Christ. Physical doors and towers are nice, but they cannot provide a spiritual refuge. The apostles Peter and Paul both remind us that we were once in darkness, but now in Christ we have entered into the light (Eph 5:8; 1 Pet 2:9). Jesus himself beckons us to come out of the dark and into his light (John 8:12). In this season we make ready to celebrate the day in which God broke through our darkness and offered us a plan of peace that would keep us forever in the light. In fact, for those who now know Jesus, we look forward to a day when we will spend eternity not illumined by the light of the dying star we call the "sun," but by the light of God and of his Christ, who is the Lamb of God by virtue of his great sacrifice at Calvary on our behalf (Rev 21:23).
Are you feeling vulnerable lately? Do world events have you troubled? Do you need a place of refuge? The name of the Lord is your strong tower. Run to him, abide in him, take comfort in him. His work is accomplished in Christ, and when you walk in his light, you know peace and safety.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym