God, Our Safe Place

Today's Scripture Proverbs 18:10-11

Insight

The book of Proverbs is included in the portion of the Old Testament known as wisdom literature. It’s properly placed there because it’s a collection of wise sayings from sages in Israel’s past. Much of the counsel is from King Solomon, to whom God granted extraordinary wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9). God told him there would be none before him and none after him who would be greater in wisdom (v. 12). With so much of the divinely inspired wisdom of the book of Proverbs rooted in the unique gift of wisdom entrusted to Solomon, it’s important to give careful attention to its life-changing words. The wisdom God offers us in the Scriptures is just one of His provisions to us. He’s also given us the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us to know and experience the safety and help we so desperately need.

We’d been driving for fifteen hours, and it was late at night when a tornado alert jolted us to attention. The warning said we should take cover immediately. As if on cue, lightning exploded in the sky, and wind pressed against our car windows. We sped off the highway and parked near a concrete hotel building. Sprinting inside, we were thankful to find shelter.

Trouble reminds us we need a safe place to stay. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Theologians tell us the phrase “the name of the Lord” means the entirety of who God is. All His attributes provide security as we hide ourselves in Him. Because God is kind, He welcomes us. Because He’s good, He listens to us. Because He’s love, He empathizes with us.

But God isn’t just another way to cope with problems. He’s more than a quick fix or a distraction. Taking refuge in Him means choosing His help over everything else. We can run to Him in prayer, meditate on Scripture, or surrender to the Holy Spirit in times of stress and anxiety. Over the years, these habits lead to a lifetime of reliance on the one who’s our true shelter.