April 14 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Throughout the course of history people have boasted about their achievements and accomplishments. Many individuals act as if they have little or no need for God’s help. Who needs God when you can have anything you want? Such secular thinking has been a human problem ever since the fall into sin. People want to make a name for themselves. It is also in our sinful hearts to draw attention to ourselves. For example, we boast about how well our business is doing and how smart our children have become under our good influence. Right to the end of times people will be busy constructing their own kingdoms. In fact, if you march to the beat of a different drummer, you will be pushed to the sidelines. Revelation 13 prophesies, “No one will be able to buy or sell unless they have the number of man.”

People like to build their own towers. They already tried that shortly after the flood. But towers built by human effort topple over and fall to ruin. There is no security in human inventions! Proverbs 18:11 says, “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own esteem.” A wall of wealth will eventually collapse, often without warning.

In contrast to the philosophy of secular humanism our Christian mission is not to build a name for ourselves, but to exalt God’s name wherever we are! The only place we can find true security and everlasting protection is in the name of the Lord. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous run to it and are safe.” Our God has an awesome name! The name of the Lord is the revelation of His mighty work of salvation. His name reveals His faithfulness, kindness, mercy, righteousness and justice in Jesus Christ. The LORD’s name is the sum of all His saving acts.

A tower was usually positioned on top of or beside the wall of a city, protecting the citizens against their enemies. The name of our covenant God is our protection and our watchtower. He gives us full security since in His name is the power to make seas dry, the strength to cause cities to fall without the use of any weapons, and the ability to save sinners from death and ruin. Let us, on this day, find strength in God’s name. A mighty fortress is our God!