Where Can We Find Real Security?

There is a saying that goes something like this: “When you get to the top of the ladder, you may find it is propped against the wrong wall.” This quote usually refers to misguided goals and achievements in life, but I suggest the COVID-19 pandemic gave it a new meaning: we often base our security on the wrong thing.

Does our health ensure our safety? It can vanish in an instant. What about money? It doesn’t take much for it to disappear. Surely our jobs provide guaranteed support. We can lose them through no fault of our own. Our fame, position, or talents give us a firm footing. They don’t protect us against the unknown. Whatever we propped our ladder against, thinking it was strong enough to hold us up, has turned out to be flimsy and feeble, unable to keep us from plunging to the ground.

Fortunately, there is one source of security that is unshakeable – God, our Creator. No, he hasn’t promised that we’ll go through life unscathed, because we live in a world tainted by sin. But he has given us more than enough evidence of his trustworthiness, and we can base our security on him without hesitation. Here are a few reasons.

God is the Creator and holds everything in his hands. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

God shelters us even when the world around us seems to be falling apart. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

God is good and full of compassion. “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 145:8-9)

As we go through a storm, it’s sometimes hard to see these truths when the wind is blowing in our faces, and the water is splashing our eyes. I’ve found that I often recognize what God has done only after I’ve come through to the other side. But not discerning the Lord’s actions in the heat of the battle doesn’t mean he wasn’t hard at work or that his presence wasn’t real.

God is not surprised by anything that happens. Nothing fazes him. His strong arms are powerful enough to help us through even the fiercest hurricane winds. However, to experience the security that comes from taking refuge in Him, we must trust Him. Jesus told the story of two houses hit by floodwaters. The first came crashing down with a bang, while the second stood firm because it had been built on the rock. His message was clear: He is the firm foundation, and following Him gives us the strength and security to face whatever storm life throws our way. ⁽¹⁾

In other words, God is the sturdy wall on which to prop our ladder. We’ll never climb it only to find we’re leaning against the wrong wall.

What do you base your security on?

⁽¹⁾ Matthew 7:24-27