A Strong Tower

Welcome to the castle.  The picture above was taken as we were getting close to finishing our decorations for Vacation Bible School.  We have a blast with a church full of kids for a week at the beginning of every summer.  This year is shaping up to be just as much fun.  In this post, I want to direct your attention to the two castle towers in the picture.  On the left is a short tower, and on the right is a tall tower.

I have to admit that the design for these two towers was mine.  Now, I’m not trying to brag on myself; if you really want to know the truth, I would just as soon try to build them again and do a better job.  But these two towers are what we have.

After getting these things constructed, I stood at the back of the auditorium critiquing them and my handiwork.  I looked at the small one, the first one we built, and saw all the flaws.  I don’t really want you to take too close a look at it, but I noticed the walls that weren’t square.  I saw the corners that didn’t meet up quite right so there were gaps.  I saw where the pieces that weren’t cut just right were used in hopes that the mistakes would be hidden.  Bottom line is that I saw the irregularities and the things that could have been done better.

Then I looked at the tall tower.  We built it second so we knew more about what we needed to do.  We recognized that there were other ways to do things that made putting it together easier, quicker, and more accurate.  Now, I wouldn’t say there aren’t any mistakes in it, but it does seem to be a bit straighter and have fewer flaws.

As I considered these two towers, an idea began to form in my mind as I remembered references to God as our strong tower.  One of those verses is found in Proverbs 18:10.

Proverbs 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

As I developed the idea, I began to think of the small tower as what we build ourselves.  Verse 11 tells us about that tower.

Proverbs 18:11  The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

You know, the small tower’s not that bad.  The walls are pretty straight.  It has battlements at the top (that’s what the cutouts at the top are called – battlements).  It’s certainly usable.

The short tower represents what we can do in our power to protect ourselves.  Maybe we’re physically strong.  We place our security in the money we have in the bank – financial security.  We can find our security in the things we have – our houses, our cars, the great electronics we enjoy, and all those other things we’ve accumulated.  Maybe you’re counting on your health to be your security – nothing can hurt me – I’m indestructible.  Security can be found in the job or career we have.  Sometimes, it’s not so much a matter of how much money we make but how consistent that income is.  We can learn to do a lot with a little bit as long as we can count on it continuing to come in.

But how secure are all those things.  One catastrophe in life can wipe out a savings account.  Even if it doesn’t all go away at once, it can be dwindled down until it’s all gone.  Cars can be gone in an instant when someone runs a stop sign.  Almost daily, there’s at least one story of a fire consuming someone’s house and all they had in it.  We’re all just a breath away from a heart attack or stroke – and cancer is no respecter of persons.  Jobs end, no matter how secure they seem to be, companies are always changing and sometimes those changes end jobs that people have worked for years.  The tower we can build is full of flaws and kinks.  It can come down around us at any time.  There’s no real security there.

But look at the tall tower.  Think of it as representing our God.  I know it’s not perfect like He is, but compared to the small tower, it is better.  The walls are more square.  They’re straighter.  The corners meet much better.  There aren’t the gaps in certain places like there are in the small tower.  The battlements are at the top.  And, more importantly, it’s taller.  It’s a stronger tower.

If we use it as a representation for God, think about what that means.  It doesn’t matter how good we’re able to build our tower on our own, God’s tower is better.  The book of Hebrews is all about how Christ is better than anything man has been able to accomplish.  God is better.  God is perfect in every way.  Everything about Him meets exactly as He intended for it to.  Not only does He not have any flaws, He is our refuge in times of trouble.

Psalms 61:1   Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

Psalms 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 61:3  For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

God is our strong tower – the refuge of the righteous.  It doesn’t mean you have to be perfect all the time.  Righteous means that you appear before God as right.  He doesn’t see your rebellion and disobedience to His commands and will.  He sees Jesus, His perfect and righteous Son.

Isn’t that the way you want to be seen by God?  Seen as just as righteous as His perfect Son, Jesus?  That is possible.  There is a way in which you can appear before God just like that.  The thing is, you have to get there God’s way – the way He provided for you to get there.  That way is Jesus.  To be able to be in God’s presence and be there as righteous, you have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  We call that Salvation.  For more information on salvation, please read this article – What is Salvation?

I encourage you, if you’ve been touched by this article, let other people know, especially those who can benefit from it.  If you don’t have a church that you attend regularly and you live in the neighborhood, come by for a visit.  If you’re not in the area, find a good Bible believing church and begin to live a life worthy of the great gift of salvation you’ve been given.

With all God’s blessings.

Bro. EC