The Tower of Safety: Running to the Name

Grace and Peace My Ekklesia Family

In a world that offers countless hiding places, only the Name of the Lord provides true refuge, security, and transformation for those who run to Him in surrender.

Primary Scripture (NLT): "The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe." — Proverbs 18:10

Supporting Scriptures:

• Psalm 61:3 (NLT) — "For you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me."

• Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT) — "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him."

• Acts 4:12 (NLT) — "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."

• Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) — "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

In ancient Israel, a name wasn't just a label—it was identity, character, authority, and reputation compressed into sound. When Solomon wrote that "the name of the LORD is a strong tower," he was using the imagery of migdal (מִגְדָּל)—a fortified watchtower where people fled during invasion or danger. These towers were places of visibility, strength, and last-resort safety.

The Hebrew word for "run" here is rûts (רוּץ)—not a casual stroll, but an urgent, desperate sprint. This isn't about casually mentioning God's name in a prayer. It's about full-body, full-heart pursuit in a moment of crisis.

The "name of the LORD" in Hebrew is YHWH—the covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush: "I AM WHO I AM." It speaks of God's eternal, self-existent, faithful, and unchanging nature. To run to His name is to run to His character, His promises, His power, and His presence.

The word "safe" (sagab, שָׂגַב) means "set on high," "out of reach," "exalted above danger." It's not just protection—it's elevation. God doesn't just guard you in the storm; He lifts you above it.

Let's be honest: we live in a world that sells safety as a product.

We're told to find refuge in:

• Financial security

• Career success

• Relationships

• Self-care routines

• Political movements

• Therapy (which is helpful, but not ultimate)

• Social media validation

• Comfort Christianity that never confronts

And when life collapses—when the diagnosis comes, when the job ends, when the marriage fractures, when anxiety grips you at 3 a.m.—those towers crumble. Because they were never built to hold the weight of your soul.

Here's the prophetic confrontation: You cannot run to what you do not trust.

Many believers know about God's name, but they don't run to it. They mention Jesus in prayers but sprint toward control, appearance management, or toxic independence. They fast their food but not their self-reliance. They want God's blessing but not His lordship.

Proverbs 18:10 exposes this: "The godly run to Him."

Not the religious.Not the ones with the right vocabulary.Not the ones who perform well on Sundays.The godly—those who have aligned their lives with God's character, who have made Him their first response, not their last resort.

And here's what's radical about this text in the context of Day 3 of your fast: running to God's name is an act of surrender, not strategy.

You don't run to the Lord to manipulate outcomes. You run because you recognize that He alone is trustworthy. You run because your own strength has failed. You run because every other refuge is a counterfeit.

This is the difference between religion and relationship. Religion hides. Relationship runs.

Adam and Eve hid in the garden after sin.David ran to God even in his guilt and shame (Psalm 51).Peter ran to Jesus even after denying Him three times.

God is not looking for perfect people. He's looking for people who will run to Him anyway.

Let me ask you this:

Where do you run when life gets hard?

Do you run to your phone? To a drink? To a person who can't save you? To busyness that numbs the pain? To control mechanisms that give you a false sense of power?

Or do you run to the Name?

Fasting isn't just about what you remove from your body—it's about what you replace it with. Day 3 is where the substitutes get exposed. You start to feel the void. You start to notice what you've been using as a tower that isn't God.

This is the invitation:

1. Stop running to counterfeits. Identify where you've placed your trust outside of God. Confess it. Repent of it. Let it go.

2. Learn the Name. You can't run to someone you don't know. Spend time today meditating on the names of God:

• Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

• Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord Who Heals)

• Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

• Jehovah-Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

• Jesus—Yeshua (The Lord Saves)

3. Practice the run.When anxiety rises today, don't reach for your phone first—speak His name. When fear knocks, don't rehearse the worst-case scenario—run to the tower. When you feel alone, don't spiral into self-pity—declare: "Lord, I'm glad I can run to You."

This isn't positive thinking. This is prophetic positioning. You're training your soul to sprint toward truth instead of stumbling toward destruction.

Father God,

Today I confess that I have run to so many things before running to You. I've sought safety in control, comfort in distractions, and security in what I can see. Forgive me. I repent of making idols out of solutions that were never meant to save me.

Thank You that Your name is a strong tower. Thank You that I don't have to be perfect to run to You—I just have to be willing. Thank You that You don't turn away the broken, the desperate, the uncertain, or the weary.

Holy Spirit, teach me to run to You first—not last. In every moment of fear, doubt, or crisis, remind me that I am safe in You. Set me on high. Lift me above the noise, the chaos, and the lies. Let my life be a testimony that Your name is enough.

I declare today: I will not hide. I will run. I will trust. I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

In Jesus' name—the Name above all names—Amen.

If you've been running to everything but God, today is your reset.

You don't have to have it all together. You don't have to understand everything. You just have to be honest about where you are and willing to turn toward Him.

Maybe today is the day you stop pretending you're strong enough on your own. Maybe today is the day you admit: "I need You, Lord."

That's not weakness. That's wisdom.

At Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries, we believe discipleship isn't about religion—it's about relationship. It's about learning to run to the right place, trust the right voice, and build your life on the right foundation.

We'd love to walk with you.

If you're ready to stop running in circles and start running to the Name, connect with us. Join a small group. Get plugged in. Let's grow together.

Because the Lord didn't just save you to leave you isolated—He saved you to bring you into family.

Run to Him. Then run with us.

LoveUMoreThanUKnow,

Pastor Stephän Kirby

Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries

ekklesiachristianlife.org