• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • LCA Portal
  • Staff Login
  • Login to LAMP
  • LCA Online Donations
  • IT Help
  • Contact

Lutheran Church of Australia

where love comes to life

MENUMENU
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • A BIT ABOUT US

      The Lutheran Church is the largest Protestant church in the world, with over 70 million members. This website tells the story of Australian and New Zealand Lutherans, following Jesus Christ – where love comes to life. Whoever you are, whatever your story, you're welcome here with us.
    • MORE ABOUT US

      • OUR PEOPLE
      • OUR LOGO, OUR MISSION
      • OUR BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
      • HOW WE WORSHIP
      • OUR STRUCTURE (GOVERNANCE)
        • NOMINATIONS
      • OUR HISTORY
      • LUTHERANS WORLDWIDE
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE
          • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
        • HISTORY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
  • THE LATEST
    • THE LATEST

      • ONLINE WORSHIP
      • DAILY DEVOTION
      • PRAYER POINTS
      • BIBLE STUDIES
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • SPREAD THE WORD bulletins and announcements
      • NEWS
      • FEATURE STORIES
      • COLUMNS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • LCA FACEBOOK
    • THE LATEST

      • CALLS – EMPLOYMENT – VOLUNTEERING
      • eNEWS LISTS
  • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES
    • DEPARTMENTS

      • DEPARTMENTS – OVERVIEW & SEARCH
      • DISTRICTS
      • OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
        • LCA INTERNATIONAL MISSION
      • LOCAL MISSION
        • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
        • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY
        • LUTHERAN MEDIA
        • CARE MINISTRIES
        • GOD’S LOVE OUR CARE
        • CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY
        • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

      • MINISTRY SUPPORT
        • CHURCH WORKER SUPPORT
        • COMMUNICATIONS
          • THE LUTHERAN
        • FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
          • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
        • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
        • PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
      • EDUCATION & TRAINING
        • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN COLLEGE
        • LUTHERAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA
      • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN WORLD SERVICE
      • FINKE RIVER MISSION
      • LLL
        • LUTHERAN TRACT MISSION
    • COMMISSIONS & MINISTRY GROUPS

      • COMMISSIONS
        • SOCIAL AND BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS
        • LUTHERANS FOR LIFE
        • CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC & FAMILY VIOLENCE
        • THEOLOGY AND INTER-CHURCH RELATIONS
        • WORSHIP
          • VISUAL ARTS
      • MINISTRY GROUPS
        • DEAF MINISTRY
        • LUTHERAN NURSES
        • LUTHERAN MEN
        • LUTHERAN WOMEN
        • YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
  • SERVICES & RESOURCES
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • BIBLE READING PLAN
      • BULLETIN NOTICES
      • BUSINESS PARTNERS
      • CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE
      • CHILD SAFETY
      • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
      • CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY (NEW!)
      • COMMUNICATIONS
      • CONGREGATION WEBSITES
      • CONSTITUTIONS
      • DAILY DEVOTIONS
      • DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS & THEOLOGICAL OPINIONS
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      • ENEWS
      • FORMS
      • HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM
      • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
      • LAMP2
      • LCA DISASTER & WELFARE FUND
      • LCA FACEBOOK
      • LCA LEARNING HUB
      • LCA LOGO
      • LCA POLICIES & STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
      • LCA SONG
      • LUTHERAN AGED CARE & COMMUNITY SERVICES
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
      • LUTHERAN WINEMAKERS
      • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
      • REGULAR ELECTRONIC GIVING (REG)
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • STUDY ASSISTANCE
      • STUDY GUIDES
      • TELECOMMUNICATIONS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • TRACTS
      • WORSHIP
      • WORSHIP LIVE STREAMING & DVDs
  • TRAINING & EVENTS
    • TRAINING

      • TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES – OVERVIEW
      • LCANZ LEARNING HUB
      • SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
      • CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
      • CAMPAIGN AGAINST FAMILY & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES & TRAINING
      • NEW HORIZONS
      • RENEW MISSION LIFE
      • GROW COACHING
    • EVENTS

      • CONVENTION OF GENERAL SYNOD 2021-23
      • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY CONFERENCE 2023
      • DIGITAL MISSION AND MINISTRY FORUM 2022
    • PROJECTS

      • ORDINATION RESOLUTION WAY FORWARD
  • FIND A …

God, our instinctive refuge

29 January 2022


Print Friendly, PDF & Email

by Pastor Matthew Bishop

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

 

You have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and fortress (Psalm 71:3b).

Read Psalm 71:1–6

It was particularly miserable weather when I went to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland with my family. The previous day in Galway had been perfect – t-shirts and blue sky. Not so the next. Horizontal rain and the full force of an Atlantic westerly gale smashing into the rock wall, buffeting the few brave (and stupid) tourists trying to see this famed piece of Irish coastline.

What we’ll never forget is the puffin birds nestled safely into the nooks on the cliff face. How do they withstand the appalling conditions? Where is their sense of panic? In those rocks is their sure refuge. From their youth, they have experienced this. They know a new day will dawn. Their instincts tell them to stay where they are. They can wait out the storm.

Psalm 71 is the voice of an elderly person, possibly an older King David, in time of trial. They have reason to panic. ‘Rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man’ (verse 4). But they have a firm basis for confidence in their request: ‘For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust O Lord from my youth’ (verse 5). As the storms of life threaten them, they take refuge (verse 1) in their ‘rock and fortress’ (verse 2), the one to which they have continually come throughout their life (verse 3).

There is considerable spiritual buttressing to be gained from reading and meditating on the whole of Psalm 71 today. Not just the first six verses. Older people can identify with spent strength and grey hair (verses 9 and 18), yet they have confidence for the future that comes with the witness and experience of God’s mighty deeds (verses 16,17) of the past. They can share this testimony with the younger people in their life. If you are younger, you can benefit from the writer’s wisdom in mapping out how knowing God from our youth leads to a calm place of refuge and solace in all life’s future circumstances. And all ages can think of the most important rock on planet earth as the reason for our confidence: the open tomb of Mount Calvary’s garden that always tells us our most serious enemies, sin, death and the devil, will never have the final say (see Luke 24:1–3,44–47, not least the proclamation of repentance and the forgiveness of sins).

Where does Psalm 71 remind you of Christ’s refuge and help in the storms of your life?

Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you teach us that Christ is our rock and refuge, the one who inclines his ear to us and saves us. Keep us hearing his comforting and strengthening voice today. In his name. Amen.


  • Click here to read previous devotions.
  • We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
  • Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.

« Jots and tittles for grace and Godly living
Prophets and their communities »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

These categories are under construction. More links will be added soon.

Serving with you in …

  • Worship & Growing Faith
  • Local Mission
  • Ministry Support
  • Education & Training
  • Partners in Ministry

Serving you where you serve …

  • Church Workers (Pastors and Lay Workers)
  • Congregation Councils
  • Worship and Spiritual Growth Leaders
  • Mission & Ministry Leaders
  • Children’s Ministry Leaders
  • Youth & Young Adult Leaders
  • Safe Church Coordinators

Serving you with …

  • The Latest (News)
  • Resources
  • Prayer Points
  • Events & Training
  • Ways to Get Involved

Tags

Aboriginal/Indigenous aid ALC ALWS appointments awards bishops children church workers COVID-19 cross-cultural ministry ecumenism forms fundraising Grow Ministries international International Mission LCA bishop Local Mission Lutheran Education LWF music new and renewing churches NSW NZ ordination pastors PNG policy prayer professional standards Qld Reformation refugees Royal Commission SA-NT schools social issues synod technology Vic-Tas WA women in leadership worship youth and young adults

Archives for all Updates

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • Don't be the last to find out!

    Join over 4000 people receiving LCA eNews in their inbox every fortnight. It brings you the latest of everything, including updates from this page. It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

    Sign up here

    Footer

    Quicklinks

    • HOME
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

     

    • SERVICES, RESOURCES & TRAINING
    • FIND A …

    Contact us

    197 Archer Street
    North Adelaide SA 5006

    08 8267 7300
    email us

    © 2023 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications