Proverbs Chapter 18

Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."

Tag! You’re it! Remember that game? The game of all games for kids. It’s been played for decades and even centuries by children around the world in some form or another. It can be played at any place, in darkness or daylight, and with no equipment. All you need are a bunch of energetic children and the game is on. One particular rule common to most variations of the game of "Tag!" is that there is usually a designated "base". Base is a place of safety where one cannot be tagged by the "It". A place where one can rest. A place where one can discuss strategy with friends and work out a plan to evade the "It" for a while longer. No matter how slow or weak a child is they can find peace and safety at the base.

In the living of this life there are a number of "It’s" trying to tag us. There is the "It" of discouragement and despair; the "It" of pain; the "It" of depression; and the "It" of trials and tribulations. Inevitably we will all be tagged by one of these "It’s". We lose a job. Tag! You’re it! We a loved one dies. Tag! You’re it! Health problems come. Tag! You’re it! The car breaks down. Tag! You’re it! A child goes astray. Tag! You’re it! The list goes on and on. You will be tagged and you will be it. When you are tagged keep this in mind. The Name of the LORD is our strong tower. He is our base. He is the place where we can rest up for the next session of "Tag!".

Notice this verse does not say the righteous are always in the strong tower. It says that the righteous man runs to it when he needs to be safe. That’s not to say that God is not with us always. He is. It doesn’t mean that we are out from under His protection. We are not. I think God is trying to tell us that "life happens" but He is there as our "Base". We walk through life in our human form and the "It’s" are chasing us. We know that David walked with God but over and over again we read of him getting tagged by the "It’s" chasing him. Overwhelmed he said "How many are they that rise up against me" . In discouragement he said "How long will you forget me and hide your face from me? Forever?" In fear and confusion he said "Why have you forsaken me and why will you not help me?" Like David, we are sometimes overwhelmed. Like David we get discouraged. Like David we experience fear and confusion. And like David we can run to our strong tower. We can run to the LORD and be safe.

God never promised us an "It" free life. But He did promise to always be our "base". He never said we won’t get tagged but He did say that we can find safety and peace in Him. So remember this... No matter what "It’ is chasing you or has even caught you, the "Base" is never far away. Find peace and rest in the strong tower. Run to Him and be safe.