Fortified Tower
Proverbs 18:9-10
9One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. 10The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Symbol
In the previous generation, tower symbolized authority and power. It requires sufficient resources and manpower to completely build a tower. Are attracted and amazed. Do you admire high towers? Many people prefer to live in high rise condominiums. Why? Inside a very high tower, you can watch surroundings far and wide. You may also feel amazingly awesome.
Would God be impressed with high tower. High tower produces pride. Let’s seriously reflect together on what happened in Genesis 11:4-7, 4They said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
The people were united as one when they built a tower to make a name for themselves. Mentally, they knew that God wanted humanity to multiply and fill the earth. Practically, they rejected that command of God. They did not want to be scattered over the face of the whole earth. So, God confused their language so that they didn’t understand each other.
Confused church attendees reject our mandate to go and make disciples. They are just satisfied in attending church regularly. They have no inspiration to participate in making disciples. Did God confuse them so that they won’t internalize his command to go and make disciples? Or, has God confused church attendees also to transfer somewhere else?
What is one reason church attendees leave the church in groups? They want to start their own church? What? Their own church! Aren’t they confused? Didn’t Christ Jesus our Lord clearly declared in Matthew 16:18?
18I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
The church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the church. Therefore, the church does not belong to humans. So, when they claim that they start or build their own church, their belief is distorted. Would Christ be the head of their assembly? The church belongs to Christ. The Holy Spirit inspires us to acknowledge that. Reflect on what Ephesians 5:23 declares,
23Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
Christ saved the church. The term church is properly translated as assembly of redeemed community of believers of Christ. We congregate as a church to testify for Christ. He set us apart to testify how he transformed us into new person. We should speak for Christ our Savior and not slack.
1. Slack
9One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
What is your dream in life? Did you dream to represent your country in the Olympics? During the London 2012 Olympic Games, members of the Canadian 4×100 meter relay team were disqualified accordingly, why?
In the final run, the left foot of the most veteran runner touched the lane inside marking at one turn. Sports officials saw what happen and published at scoreboard,“Canada DQ” or disqualified. The runners rubbed their eyes in disbelief. In a twinkling, their heart was broken. They wept. But no changes made. Their dream of winning the Olympics relay crushed.
Sometimes God allows our dreams to crush for us to reflect deeply. We have great hope that when Christ returns, he will take us into heaven. But we need to be very sure that we follow the instruction of the Lord. We are warned in 2 Timothy 2:5, 5If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.
What is the rule of Christ for his disciples? He mandated us to testify for him. Why? When we testify on our personal experience with Christ, it practically proves that the Holy Spirit transformed us into new person. With no transformation from the Holy Spirit, there’s possibility of disqualification.
The Olympians were confident of winning until they were disqualified. Confidence is good but slacking and negligent to testify is alarming trend.
It says in Philemon 1:6, 6Be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Full understanding of good things in Christ inspires active sharing of faith in him. Testify for Christ and make sure you won’t be “DQed.” It would be terrifying moment if that happens. We pray to be active in our obligation to speak about Christ. Why? We want to be assured, we are safe in Christ.
2. Safe
10The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
In this generation of high technology, anyone can be updated about news around the world. Videos are posted online about destruction from natural calamities. Earthquake, tornado, flooding, tsunami, wildfire, and even manmade calamities like war or accidents happen anywhere around the world. Everyone voices out their opinion. They blame anyone out there.
Natural or manmade calamity reminds that no shortage of problem and no complete safety for us in this world. It is far from perfect paradise.
Rain storm, snow storm, sand storm, storms of life—emotional storm, relational storm, or economic storm causes us to realize that this world is never perfect place to live forever. We need to have a strong tower to lean on, not just for temporary times but for all seasons or even eternally.
We want to have sufficiency of everything. We desire to live life in its fullness. King Solomon has proven that the Lord is a strong tower but not everyone has realized it. His wisdom was given by the Lord. We pray that the Holy Spirit helps us seek safety in the Lord our fortified tower.
We are safe and secured eternally in Jesus Christ. While we wait for his arrival, we desire his promise of abundant life in John 10:10, 10I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
We seek refuge in Christ as our strong tower 100% to experience his promise of abundant life. As practical indications that we truly rely upon the Lord, we pray that the Holy Spirit inspires us to follow him enthusiastically. His word is our training tool while we learn to live by the grace of God. Actually, to surpass what the laws in the Old Testament require proves that we live by God’s grace? Seriously reflect on what it says in Matthew 5:41,
41If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
How should we interpret this? Christ requires us to surpass what we are required to do. The commands of God are the standard of what he accepts. We can only obey what God commands us when his Holy Spirit inspires us. Together, let us learn from King David in Psalm 119:33-35, 33Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.
34Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
When God teaches us, we understand that his commands favor us. We delight obeying him when the Holy Spirit produces joy and peace in us. We should always seek to be inspired by the Holy Spirit so that we listen attentively and obey when the Lord speaks to us personally specifically.
Christ is our fortified tower. We’re eternally safe and secured in him.
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