Strong Tower

Towers.  Twin Towers.  North Tower.  South Tower.  Funny how before 9/11 happened, I didn't think about those words at all.  I had been to New York City.  I had not been in the Towers but in one of the other World Trade Center buildings where my brother worked and looked out the window at the Towers.  To be honest, other than being really tall, they didn't leave an impression on me.

But then 2 planes were flown into them and it changed my perception forever.  The phrase "Twin Towers" now means so much more to those of us who witnessed it.  I will never forget the feeling of wondering if my brother was at work that day.  Such a scary thought that for me only lasted a minute before I remembered he was on vacation.  I was lucky my story had that happy ending.  So many people lost loved ones that day, and so many since....

I am grateful that the 10 year anniversary landed on a Sunday.  And I am lucky that my pastor has such a gift for turning our hearts to God.  His sermon today refreshed my soul and reminded me that this earth is passing.  That we truly never know what is going to happen in any given day.  It might not be as big as a plane landing into a building but it could be a heart attach, a diagnosis of cancer, a car accident....all of those things change your life forever but the one constant in this life is God.

Psalm 61 which has been turned into one of my favorite songs says "for you have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy" (vs. 3)  What I didn't know is that David wrote this song after his son died.  And even though I have heard the song from this reference over and over again, the significance of God being referred to as the strong tower never really struck me.  But when I stop and think about the word tower, I think of Eiffel Tower, Tower of Babel, Twin Towers.... all things that are big and things that people probably thought would stand the test of time.  While things on this earth can be destroyed, our towers that we build as humans are not eternal. 

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe"  Proverbs 18:10. 

It's amazing how you can read a passage in the Bible over and over and not get it.  A simple passage.    One that fits so perfectly, so completely in our present day situation.  What an amazing God we have that words written so long ago, are so appropos today. 

I am not sure I will think about the word tower in the same sense ever again.  When I think of 9/11 and what it did to our country, and I think of those towers falling to the ground, I will forever remember Proverbs 18:10 and Psalm 61.  He is our tower of strength, something we never need fear, our God who will always stand strong and true and magnificent.