Trouble reminds us we need a safe place to stay. Proverbs 18:10 reads, “The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

God, our safe place.

Everybody needs a safe place, a real safe place, that they can run to and take refuge. With the uncertainties of life my friends, we all need a safe place. When there’s a tornado, we seek the most sturdy, secure place that we can find to shelter us. Even though nothing is guaranteed, we look for the most fortified place that we can find; something secure and built on a solid foundation.

That’s what God is to those of us who trust him and serve him because we know that we are not exempt from the uncertainties of life. Those who do not have a relationship with God or serve him are out on the ocean sailing without a compass, with no real direction. They’re building their lives on the sand, and when the flood comes, when bad news comes and beats against their house, it falls because it was founded on sinking sand. The things of this world are sinking sand.

Community, there’s nothing wrong with achieving higher academics; that’s great! There’s nothing wrong with investments in the stock market. Saving money for a rainy day is smart. It makes sense. Having a good 401k is good planning for retirement. There is nothing wrong with trying to better yourself in life, but none of these are a safe place because the right thing can come along and level every last one of these to the ground.

Friends, we all need a safe place, a sure place, OUR safe place. Let me ask you this morning to be honest. If the worst of the worst were to happen right now, what would be the first thing that we would do? Where is the first place that we would turn? If the bottom were to fall out right now, if we were knocked unconscious from some bad news, what is the first thing that we would do? How would we respond? Would we stand or would we collapse? That depends on what you have for your safe place!

Solomon said, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Did y’all hear me this morning? I said, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the RIGHTEOUS run to it.”

Fortified means, “a place provided with defensive works as protection against attack.” The righteous run to it! The Lord’s people run to it! Those who have a relationship with him run to him!

When my oldest son was about 2 years old, we had gone to Philadelphia to my aunt’s funeral. He was playing on the porch and fell and hit his head on a flower pot. In pain, the first thing he did was get up and run to me, his father! It was automatic! When the worst happens, do we run to our heavenly Father? Where do we run and where would we run if we hit our heads this morning? If it is anything other than God, it is not a safe place!

The righteous people, who call, rely upon, and have faith in the character of God, will be safe, exalted and lifted up so that the enemy cannot reach them. And no weapon formed against them will prosper. Even the devil cannot go so far, because God has him in a chain. And God does have a reputation. He has a reputation for sustaining, keeping, protecting, providing, healing, fighting for, equipping and making ways of escape for his people (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The wealthy think that their wealth can protect them from harm like a high city wall. But the wealthy are wrong. They are dead wrong. There are many things that money cannot do. For example, money cannot cure a common cold. Money can’t keep you from getting the flu. It cannot stop trouble from coming in your home. Money, community cannot give you a good night’s sleep. Being rich doesn’t keep you from having a brain tumor. It can’t stop a tornado or hurricane from coming and blowing your house down. Ask the rich in California who lost their homes to fire. Money doesn’t guarantee you won’t die at an early age. Having wealth can’t stop your child from dying from an incurable disease. It won’t stop trouble from knocking at your door. It won’t stop death from coming. It won’t stop people from hating you. It can’t buy you a true friend, and money can’t buy you love!

But, the God we serve can give you a good night’s sleep no matter what’s going on. He can cure a common cold and pneumonia at the same time! Only he can stop trouble before it knocks at your door. One word from our God and the brain tumor will dry up. He can turn and shift a tornado and make it go in a totally different direction, and he has done it!

And when the doctor says you will die at an early age, he can add 15 more years to your life, like he did with Hezekiah. He can speak the word and diseases will dry up! He won’t stop people from hating on you or giving you hell, but he will give you enough love in your heart to love the hell out of them!

Our God is awesome, God he reigns with wisdom, power, and love! God is our safe place.

The Rev. George Ellis is the pastor of Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church and can be reached at georgeellis1956@yahoo.com.