Winning Ways: The Strong Tower of God's Name

Could you use some relief from life's pressures right now? Proverbs 18:10 says:

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.”

We'll find what we need to endure life's tough patches when we get in the habit of running to God's name.

And that's why we're told in the 10 Commandments that we had better not run over God's name.

You know, if we had the job of listing ten essential things that would serve as the basis of moral living, some of us probably wouldn't have used up prime real estate to warn against misusing God's name. But not only did God include such a warning in the 10 Commandments, he put it "top of the fold," as newspaper editors like to refer to their most important stories. After telling us what gods should not capture our heart (Commands 1 and 2), he tells us who should capture our heart. In the Third Commandment he tells us to cherish our relationship with him. "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God," God says in the Third Commandment (Deuteronomy 6:11).

That's what it means to honor his name. The name of God is a sort of short-hand for God’s promises, God’s nature, even God’s very being.

It doesn't take a seminary degree to know this: If I were to say a certain person’s name to you right now, it would immediately bring either joy or resentment. That name represents someone who loves you or someone who has hurt you. That name is a kind of shorthand for someone’s character and behavior.

So, to cherish God's name is to delight in his character, his promises, his worth--to delight in him. The Bible writers saw no difference between God's name and God's very presence. So in Psalm 20:1, we read:

“May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.”

God himself "answering" and the name of God "protecting"--the same thing.

This Sunday we're going to learn how to run to God’s name instead of running over God’s name. In doing so, you'll find a strong tower of protection and rest and restoration.

It's part of our series called "God's Perfect 10." You can catch up with the series at www.HillcrestAustin.org/sermons. This Sunday, join us at 10 for God's Perfect 10!